-Architectural Details of the Sapporo Japan Temple-
The new Sapporo Japan temple is one of the more culturally unique temples
built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The temple beautifully incorporates Japanese architecture with numerous motifs and symbols
that not only convey Japanese history and culture, but help connote a sacred setting.
-Temple Exterior- To give the exterior a uniquely Japanese feel,
the architects used a very similar design
to the Tokyo capital building, called the Diet building.
Both buildings have a single large stepped tower in the center,
with four smaller towers, one on each corner of the larger tower.
Both buildings include in the center tower three rows of five windows,
the top row being the smallest set of windows.
The temple also includes roof eve corners that are slightly turned up,
typical of Japanese traditional architecture.
-Japanese Interior Design- Before taking a look at the inside of the temple,
it will be helpful to learn a little bit about
traditional Japanese interior design.
First, unlike western design, Japanese inner space divisions are fluid,
and the room size can be modified through the use of screens or movable paper walls.
These partitions generally are made of wooden frames
in a lattice pattern covered with opaque paper.
Wooden transoms above the doors are also typically added
to increase airflow and light in between rooms.
In more important rooms, ceilings are not flat, but instead decorated with wooden beams,
paintings, or coffered ceilings.
The interior of the new Sapporo Japan temple has incorporated, to at least some degree,
all of these design aspects throughout the entire temple.
-Woodwork- One of the first, uniquely Japanese design features
is the use of latticework, transoms, and coffered ceilings.
Though most of the walls in the temple are stationary, the woodwork seeks to replicate
the feel of the traditional movable paper walls and sliding doors.
For example, in the first instruction room, the doorways are designed with intricate latticework,
to imitate the feel of the traditional shoji sliding doors.
Above the doorways are included beautifully carved wooden transoms,
again typical of Japanese design.
In most other temples of the church, the doorway leading from the Terrestrial room
to the Celestial room is separated by a large curtain.
However, in the Sapporo Japan temple, this doorway instead uses a unique sliding latticework
door covered with an opaque material, reminiscent of the paper doors so common to Japan.
This doorway also includes metal transoms around the opening,
giving this movable wall, a uniquely Japanese feel.
In addition to the doorways, the chairs, recommend desk, chapel woodwork, altars,
and stained-glass windows seek to replicate similar latticework motifs.
The baptistry also uses these same designs on the stonework on the font and within the
woodwork of the walls and doors.
As an interesting side note, the design of the latticework on the altar in both instruction
rooms, is partially replicated within the sides of the chairs, perhaps suggesting to
those sitting, that they are at least symbolically at the altar.
The temple also integrates the Japanese design of coffered and wood beam ceilings,
including in the large dome above the baptistry,
in the ceiling of both the first and second instruction rooms
in the sealing rooms, and in the beautiful woodwork of the celestial room dome.
-Patterns and Motifs- Several traditional Japanese patterns or motifs
are used throughout the temple.
One of the most popular Japanese symbols, the seigaiha or wave pattern,
is used on the exterior stonework.
Another wave pattern depicts a central circle with emanating waves, and can be located on
the exterior stonework as well as on the ceilings of the celestial and sealing rooms.
The wave, in Japanese culture, symbolizes power and resilience,
both attributes that can be obtained through making and keeping temple covenants.
In addition, a cloud pattern can be found as part of the wallpaper design
in the instruction room, and in the Celestial room ceiling dome.
Two, very popular Japanese traditional patterns used in the temple
are the asanoha and shippo pattern.
Both patterns are used in the beautiful frosted stained-glass windows of the temple.
The shippo pattern is also incorporated into the wood paneling on and around the doors,
on the recommend desk, the chapel pulpit,
within the carpet design in both instruction rooms,
and in the stencil work in various rooms.
The lilac flower, also found throughout the temple, is very popular in Sapporo,
in part because of the highly anticipated annual lilac festival.
The lilac flower can be located everywhere from the baptistry font railing,
to the instruction room woodwork.
The lilac is also incorporated within a circle and square motif, as seen in the sealing rooms
and in the celestial room woodwork.
This motif is reminiscent of Japanese family crests, or mon, which were used to decorate
and identify an individual or family.
The chandeliers of the sealing rooms and of the Celestial room, and the center table of
the Celestial room also incorporate a merged circle and square design.
The circle can represent eternity, and the square the earth, or the four corners of the earth,
thus symbolically representing how heaven and earth
combine within the walls of the temple.
The temple also includes several traditional plants within the carpet and interior design,
including bamboo leafs in the entry and waiting area carpet,
and beautiful blossoms in the bride's dressing room.
The first instruction room also incorporates the common gingko leaf
in the fabric of the seats.
-Japanese Gardens- Perhaps, one of the most unique aspects
of the Sapporo Japan temple is the use of the
very traditional Japanese raked stone garden.
These stone gardens can be found outside the temple in the beautiful gardens,
and also in the main waiting area beneath the grand staircase.
These gardens are designed to imitate the intimate essence of nature
through the placement of large protruding rocks in a bed of raked white gravel.
The large rocks generally represent islands or mountains, while the sand, raked in wavelike
patterns emanating from the larger stones, represent the ocean waves.
Japanese styled gardens were first incorporated into ancient Japanese Buddhist temples,
for the purpose of helping the temple monks to receive enlightenment
through contemplation, and through the delicate time consuming work of raking the gardens.
-Progression- As part of the endowment ceremony,
participants learn about the plan of salvation,
and how to return back to the presence of God
through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Much of the design in the instruction rooms symbolically convey the concept of moving
from an earthly existence to that of heaven.
When you begin the endowment, you start in the first instruction room,
which depicts creation through several beautiful murals around the room.
These murals are very reminiscent of plants and traditional gardens
common in the Sapporo area.
The front corner mural interestingly includes a depiction of the well known
Ezo no Fuji mountain.
As you move from this first instruction room, to the second,
and on into the Celestial room, the ceiling height, size of the room,
amount of light, and ornate woodwork increases with each new room.
Again, this design aspect is to show our symbolic progress
moving back into the presence of God.
Of particular interest, in the Celestial room, is the two murals of pine trees.
In Japan, the pine tree is one of the most popular trees, and represents steadfastness,
long life, and happiness, an appropriate image found within the Celestial room.
In addition, the design of the temple, as seen from above, with the Celestial room under
the center tower, also conveys the concept of the sacred center between the four corners
of the earth, a common design among Asian temples.
-Traditional Vases- As a final note, several beautiful traditional
style vases can be found throughout the temple,
including two particularly elegant vases in the Celestial room,
a vase style popular in Japan originating from the Tang dynasty in China.
The new Sapporo Japan temple is a beautiful edifice, that elegantly reflects the culture
and history of the nation of Japan.
This sacred house of the Lord, will be a place where the saints will be able to come closer
to their Lord and Master, even Jesus Christ, on their journey heavenward,
back to the presence of God.