Jonen-ji, located in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, has two early 19th century buildings: the Hondo (main hall) and the Manabe-Akifusa Otamaya (mausoleum). Both buildings feature the earthen-wall Dozo-zukuri building style, in which all exterior walls are covered with clay and plaster. In addition, the Hondo is characterized by another building style, expressing the design of a two-story building on the exterior but containing a single two-story-high space in the interior. The use of the Dozo-zukuri style and the two-story interior space -- both of which are features that show Edo influence -- is attributed to the fact that both of these buildings were designed in Edo; furthermore, the earthen walls are considered to have been designed in response to local fire prevention laws. The reason why these buildings were designed in Edo is that the two clans involved in the construction work, the Murakami-han and the Sabae-han, hold their discussions at the official Edo residences of both clans. The design differences between the Hondo and the Otamaya are attributable to the differences in the Sabae-han's degree of involvement in the design process of the two buildings. These two buildings in Jonen-ji should not be considered merely as special examples of local architecture but as one type of design which resulted from the influences of clan politics and law.
