Rokkakudo

Rokkakudō is a historic structure standing on the Iitsura Coast in Ōtsu Town, Kitaibaraki City, Ibaraki Prefecture. It was designed by the philosopher and art educator Okakura Tenshin in 1903 and named “Kannan-tei” (Pavilion for Watching the Waves).

Perched atop a cliff projecting into the Pacific Ocean, the scene created by the red hexagonal building, the blue sea, and the white surf is as beautiful as a painting. It is sometimes illuminated at night, allowing visitors to enjoy its dreamlike appearance.

Okakura Tenshin and Rokkakudō
Okakura Tenshin was the founder of the Japan Art Institute and a major figure in the development of modern Japanese art. In 1903, he first visited Iitsura with guidance from the painter Tobita Shūzan, and was deeply captivated by its majestic scenery. Two years later, he built Rokkakudō and used it as a place for contemplation and creation. Tenshin lived a seasonal life, working at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in winter and spending summers in Iitsura.

In 1906, he relocated the Japan Art Institute to this area, and his disciples, including Yokoyama Taikan, Shimomura Kanzan, Hishida Shunsō, and Kimura Bukuzan, moved here with their families and devoted themselves to creative work. Their activities led Iitsura to be called a “sacred place of modern Japanese art.”

Historical Background, the Earthquake, and Reconstruction
Even after Okakura Tenshin’s death, Rokkakudō has long been cherished as a symbol of Iitsura. However, it was swept away by the tsunami of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Later, as many parts as possible were recovered from the seafloor, and in 2012 it was rebuilt to faithfully reproduce its original appearance. During the reconstruction, a 150-year-old cedar was used in honor of Tenshin’s 150th birth anniversary, and details such as the vermilion coating made with natural bengara pigment and the sacred jewel containing crystal found on the seafloor were recreated to reflect the aesthetic sensibilities of the original structure. Even the arrangement of the stepping stones expresses the spirit of the tea ceremony.

Architectural and Scenic Appeal
Rokkakudō is distinguished by its unique hexagonal floor plan. The vermilion pillars and smoked-tile roof harmonize with the sea of Iitsura, while the surrounding old pines, strange rock formations, and white waves combine to create a picturesque landscape. It also served as a model for the scenes of pines, sunrise, and moonlight painted by Yokoyama Taikan. Today it is managed as part of the “Iitsura Art and Cultural Research Institute of Ibaraki University,” and the former residence of Okakura Tenshin, the “Nagaya-mon,” is also preserved on the grounds. The Nagaya-mon is designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan and is a building of high historical value.

Relationship to Chōhō-ji Rokkakudō in Kyoto
Meanwhile, Shiunzan Chōhō-ji in Kyoto’s Nakagyō Ward is also known as “Rokkakudō.” It is an independent Tendai-affiliated temple said to have been founded by Prince Shōtoku in 587, and enshrines the Nyoirin Kannon statue as its principal image. It is affectionately called by this name because its main hall is hexagonal, and it is also known as the head temple of the Ikenobō school of ikebana, whose successive heads have served as chief priests. Although famous as the birthplace of ikebana, it has no direct connection with the Rokkakudō in Ibaraki Prefecture.

The Present Rokkakudō and Its Significance
The rebuilt Rokkakudō is cherished by many as a symbolic structure embodying the “ideal of the East” and the “Japan, land of beauty” that Okakura Tenshin pursued. His vision of this place as “where Asian culture is shaped” has been carried on, and its value as a cultural heritage site has been rerecognized. The entire grounds, including Rokkakudō, have been maintained as a registered monument (scenic site), offering visitors a sense of tranquility and beauty.

Rokkakudō is a symbolic structure that gave form to Okakura Tenshin’s ideas and aesthetic sensibility. Together with the magnificent natural beauty of the Iitsura coast, it continues to convey the passion of Tenshin and his disciples, who challenged themselves to modernize Japanese art. Having risen again after the earthquake, it continues to move many people as a “living cultural heritage” that connects past and future, nature and art.