Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

udo.jeromin wrote:

After seeing quite a few buddhist temples in Japan and attending
some ceremonies that remained largely mysterious to me I wonder:

1. the main halls (betsuden?) of buddhist temples seem to have
   often a similar layout;

2. if 1. is true then there must be a good reason for it;

3. if 2. is true then the reason is probably related to the hall's use
   in ceremonies or other events.

Can someone explain and/or point me to a good source of reference?

Maybe others will be able to answer you but to me your question is way too vague to answer. The only answer you could really get is if you study to be a priest or spend some time studying at a temple there is way too much stuff to explain and detail plus not knowing your level of knowledge makes it even more difficult to answer.

but anyway here is what I can tell you.

1. Main building or Hall is called the Hondo. NO layouts are not similar at all from school to school unless you visited temples of one denomination only. Zen is way different from Shingon and Tendai same thing goes with Jodo etc.

2. What reason? Humm because this is the layout that help schools X do their ceremony?

3. Humm He yes and each halls have differnet purpose and types of ceremonies that go with each halls.

So as you can see you question is way too vague.

udo.jeromin wrote:

Thanks Gishin, I see: the answer to 1. is "no",
so the other questions are void.

The temples I am referring to are all here in Japan and
may all be Zen temples --- but I am not sure.
It's the smaller temples, with few buildings (so the main hall
may actually be a multi-purpose room) and that seem sometimes
to be run and inhabited by a family that I try to understand better...

Well if it looks owned by a familly it will most likely be a Jodo or Jodo Shinshu temple but it could still be Zen or Shingon etc. Anyway when you get to know of what school they are I might be of clearer assistance.