The so-do hall is one of the seven principal buildings considered necessary for a Zen Buddhist temple, and it is situated opposite the kuri (monks' living quarters) with the straight line consisting of the sanmon gate, butsuden (main hall) and hodo (lecture hall) between them, on the left when the butsuden is observed from the sanmon gate.
僧堂は禅宗では七堂伽藍の1つに数えられ、直線上に並んだ山門・仏殿・法堂を挟んで庫裏の反対側、山門から仏殿に向かって左側に設置される。