The Korean architectural structure Gwanwoldang, which had been moved to Japan during the Japanese colonial period and remained there for over 100 years, has returned to its homeland.
On the 24th, the Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Cultural Heritage Foundation announced that they signed a formal agreement with Kotokuin in Kamakura, Japan, and received the architectural materials of Gwanwoldang for transfer to Korea. This is a significant case involving the transfer of ownership from the holders in Japan who had kept the building.
Gwanwoldang was passed to the Japanese during the Japanese colonial period in the 1920s and had remained in Japan for over a century. Kotokuin has disassembled the building for preservation and restoration purposes in 2023, gradually transporting the main materials such as tiles, stone, and wood to Korea.
Administrator Choi Eung-cheon noted, "This is a meaningful achievement made through long negotiations and cooperation between Korea and Japan," adding, "It was made possible by the sincere donation of the holder and the efforts of experts from both countries." This is the first time a traditional Korean architectural structure overseas has been fully returned in its original form.
In 1995, some remains of the Jaseondang of Gyeongbokgung Palace found in the garden of the Okura Hotel in Tokyo were returned, but they were mostly stones, and there has not been a case where an entire building returned.
Gwanwoldang is presumed to be related to the Joseon royal family, featuring a three-bay front and a gable roof shape. It was once located behind the "Great Buddha of Kamakura," a Japanese national treasure, and it is widely believed that it was passed to the Japanese entrepreneur Sugino Kisei due to financial difficulties in the late Joseon period.
Sugino later donated Gwanwoldang to Kotokuin, and the building was used for the purpose of housing a Buddhist statue at the temple. Recent research suggests that Gwanwoldang was likely used as a shrine building for figures of great significance within the Joseon royal family during the 18th and 19th centuries.
This return is particularly meaningful as it followed a previous failure. In 2010, there were negotiations between the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the Japan-Korea Buddhist Exchange Association, but they were later suspended. Since 2019, the Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Cultural Heritage Foundation have resumed discussions with Kotokuin and successfully transferred all architectural materials over a period of about six years.
In particular, Takao Sato, the chief priest of Kotokuin, personally covered all expenses necessary for the dismantling and transportation of the building. He said, "I hope that the historical significance and value that existed at Kotokuin for the past 100 years will be remembered and that the original values will be restored at an appropriate location in Korea."
Kotokuin stated that it plans to establish a fund to continue cultural heritage exchanges between Korea and Japan and donate it to the Overseas Cultural Heritage Foundation.
Administrator Choi Eung-cheon remarked, "This is a model case of realizing mutual respect and empathy through cultural heritage," expressing hope that it will serve as a symbol of cultural solidarity and future-oriented cooperation between Korea and Japan.