Hachioji city Course

Nio-mon, facing south of Takao-san Yakuo-in Yuki-ji, is a one-story high, 3-bays wide, 8-legged gate with an entrance in the centre. It has a hipped roof and Kokerabuki-styled copper sheeting. The statue of Misshaku Kongorikishi with closed mouth (Buddhist guardian deity) is on the left side the gate and Naraen Kongorikishi with opened mouth (also Buddhist guardian deity) is on the right side. Normally Nio-Mon enshrining these statues as guardian deities are 3-bays wide and have one entrance. The distance between the two centre pillars is 2.43 m while the distance between the pillars for the statues is 1.82 m each. The total width of the gate is 6.07 m. The depth is 2 bays or 3.64 m (1 bay is 1.82m). Bengara (red earth pigment) is applied to the pillars. The hipped roof, used to be made of 3 mm thick Kokerabuki, has now Kokerabuki-style copper sheeting. There are no documents mentioning the construction year of Niou-mon, but it is presumed that it was built between the end of the 17th and the early 18th century. The description on a repair plate found on the statue of Kongourikishi and the used architectural style support this assumption.

According to Yakuo-in Engi, Yakuo-in started when Gyoki enshrined a Yakushi Nyorai statue by the Emperor's order in 744. It is believed that a priest, Syungen, enshrined Izuna deity (statue) between 1375 and 1379 which led to increased religious influence of Takaosan (or Yakuou-in). The ridge tag shows that Honden was built in 1729 and Haiden and Heiden were constructed in 1753. It is presumed that Honden was an independent building around that time. But when repair was conducted in 1805, the roofs of Honden and Heiden were connected, creating the current Gongen-zukuri (complex roof style). Haiden is a one-story wooden structure. It has a hip-and-gable roof with copper sheeting and is 3-bays wide with eaves around. A veranda surrounds the building and Kumimono (bracket complex) and carvings on the building have brilliant colours. These Kumimono and carvings show high techniques in shrine decoration of the middle of Edo period. This Izunagongen-do was designated Tangible Cultural Property (Building) of Tokyo as it is an excellent Gongen-zukuri architecture built around that time.

Yakuo-in Yuki-ji in Takaosan, known for Yakushi faith and Izuna faith, has many buildings and halls. Fudo-do is located on a sharp ridge of the mountain at the far back of the temple ground. Fudo-do, previously called Goma-do, which was located near the current main temple building and later relocated to its present place, was reconstructed around 1910. Fudo-do is a small hall with pyramidal roof. The hall is 6.26 m wide and 6.26 m deep. A veranda with railings surrounds it and a 2.17 m wide step-canopy is attached to the east side of the hall. The hall has a elevated timber floor and Tatami mats at front and on both sides. In 2001, the repair was completed and vivid vermilion colour on the pillars, veranda and doors were revived. There are no records mentioning the construction year, however, the hall is presumed to have been built around the end of the 17th century, judging from the style. At the rear of the hall two Raigobashira (pillars right and left of the Buddhist altar) stand behind an altar made during the same period as the hall. Wooden statues of Fudomyoo (Chetaka) and Nidoji (two little bodhisattva), which are believed to have been made before Muromachi period, are enshrined in the altar. These statues are Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo.

There are no records concerning the construction year, but it is presumed that Daishi-do burned down in a fire of Yakushi-do in 1677 and was reconstructed later. Therefore, Daishi-do must have been build after the middle Edo period, also judging from the style and the techniques of the architecture used. The techniques used for the carving patterns on step canopy, rainbow beam, Kibana (nosing attached to the ends of tie beams) and shrimp-shaped rainbow beam, are older style than the one of the construction period. According to Shinpen-Musashifudokiko (chorography in Musashikoku), Daishi-do, previously called Dainichi-do, was located opposite of Yakushi-do, and faced to the south. It is 3×2 bays surrounded by eaves. Later it was repaired three times and relocated to the current place. Daishi-do shows that there were schools which stick to old and traditional architectural style. Daishi-do is important in architectural history to know the trend of architectural styles of shrines and temples in the middle of modern period, and designated Tangible Cultural Property (Building) of Tokyo. This hall with a 1-bay wide step canopy is 5.48 m wide and 9.12 m deep. Daishi-do contains 1-bay wide Naijin (the inner sanctum) and two altars at the back, Butsudan and Ihaidan (1-bay spacing to the sides and to each other). The roof is pyramid shaped with copper sheeting.

The row of cedar trees, planted along the approach to the ground of Takaosan Yakuo-in, is very unique in Tokyo. This row is composed of more than 10 cedar trees with a giant cedar at the beginning. Although the 26th typhoon ravaged in this area on 24th September 1966, these giant trees survived. The giant cedar is 47 m high and has 5.6 m trunk circumference. As these cedars are already old, the trunk of some of them is hollow near the roots.