Kannonji Temple Pagoda

Kannonji Tahoto Pagoda: Nagoya's Oldest Wooden Structure

Rising gracefully within the grounds of Arako Kannon Temple in Nagoya's Nakagawa Ward, the Kannonji Tahoto Pagoda stands as the oldest surviving wooden building in the entire city. Rebuilt in 1536 during the late Muromachi period, this elegant two-story pagoda has endured nearly five centuries of history — surviving wars, fires, and earthquakes — and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property of Japan. While much of Nagoya's historical architecture was lost to the devastating air raids of World War II, this remarkable pagoda remains as a precious witness to the city's deep cultural roots.

A History Spanning Centuries

The Kannonji Tahoto Pagoda belongs to Kannonji Temple (formally known as Jokaisan Enryuin Kannonji), a Tendai Buddhist temple popularly called Arako Kannon. According to temple records, the monastery was founded in 729 (Tenpyo 1) by the legendary monk Taicho, who is also credited with opening sacred Mount Hakusan in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture. His disciple Jisho later expanded the temple buildings in 741.

The tahoto pagoda was rebuilt in 1536 (Tenbun 5), as confirmed by ink inscriptions found on the central pillar (shinbashira) during an 1850 (Kaei 3) restoration, as well as by historical records in the temple's document known as Jokai Zakki. This makes the pagoda a valuable example of late Muromachi-period religious architecture in the Owari region.

The temple has strong ties to the famous samurai lord Maeda Toshiie (1539–1599), founder of the powerful Kaga domain. Born near the temple at Arako Castle, Toshiie grew up in this neighborhood and considered Kannonji his family temple (bodaiji). In 1576, before departing for his new domain in Echizen, he sponsored a major renovation of the main hall. Even after his family's rise to power in Kanazawa, the connection between the Maeda clan and Arako Kannon has been cherished for generations.

Why It Was Designated an Important Cultural Property

The Kannonji Tahoto Pagoda was designated as a National Important Cultural Property on April 30, 1921 (Taisho 10). Several factors contribute to its cultural significance:

• It is the oldest surviving wooden structure in the entire city of Nagoya, a city where most pre-modern architecture was destroyed in World War II air raids.
• The pagoda exemplifies the Muromachi-period tahoto architectural form, with a distinctive blend of traditional Japanese (wayo) and Chinese Zen (zenshuyo) building techniques in its upper story.
• The central pillar inscription names the master carpenter Jinshiro Yoshisada of the Okabe family, who served as chief builder at Atsuta Shrine and worked under the Muromachi shogunate's official master builder. This connection highlights the high caliber of craftsmanship invested in the pagoda.
• The interior preserves original painted decorations, including lotus flower motifs on the ceiling and polychrome designs on the upper walls and raigouheki (welcoming wall), offering rare insight into medieval Buddhist decorative arts.

Architectural Highlights and Features

The Kannonji Tahoto Pagoda is a three-bay (sanken) tahoto measuring approximately 3.6 meters on each side at the base, with a total height of 13.58 meters. A tahoto is a uniquely Japanese pagoda form characterized by a square lower story surmounted by a circular upper story, all crowned with a pyramidal hōgyō-zukuri roof.

The upper story features a circular plan with a white-boarded kamebara (tortoise-belly) bulge — the hallmark curved drum that gives the tahoto its distinctive silhouette. Above this, Zen-style four-tiered (yotesaki) bracket complexes support the roof, with fan-shaped rafters (ōgidaruki) radiating outward in an elegant pattern. The lower story uses square pillars with degumi bracket sets, with decorative kaerumata (frog-leg struts) and kentōzuka (strut blocks) placed between the brackets.

Originally roofed with copper sheeting, the pagoda was restored to its authentic kokera-buki (thin wooden shingle) roof during a comprehensive conservation project completed in 2001 (Heisei 13). This meticulous restoration returned the pagoda closer to its original Muromachi-period appearance.

Inside the pagoda, the principal objects of worship are statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Taho (Prabhutaratna) Buddha — the two Buddhas whose encounter is described in the Lotus Sutra, the scriptural basis for the tahoto form itself. The interior walls above the nageshi rails and the raigouheki feature painted decoration, while the ceiling displays elegant lotus flower designs.

The Enku Buddhist Carvings: Japan's Largest Collection

Beyond the tahoto pagoda, Arako Kannon Temple is renowned for housing the largest collection of Enku Buddhist carvings (Enku-butsu) in all of Japan. The monk Enku (1632–1696) was an itinerant sculptor-priest who traveled across Japan carving thousands of rough-hewn, deeply expressive wooden Buddhist images. During his stay at the temple in 1676, he created an extraordinary number of figures, ranging from miniature carvings just a few centimeters tall to the imposing three-meter-tall Nio guardian statues that stand in the temple's main gate.

As of 2014, the temple preserves 1,255 Enku carvings on site, with an additional 11 pieces relocated elsewhere, for a total of 1,266 confirmed works. Given that approximately 5,374 Enku carvings have been identified throughout Japan, Arako Kannon alone holds roughly one-quarter of the monk's entire surviving output. In 1972, the temple's chief priest opened old boxes stored in the tahoto pagoda and discovered over a thousand carefully packed Enku carvings that had been hidden for centuries — a truly remarkable find.

These captivating sculptures are open to the public on the afternoon of the second Saturday of every month, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. A viewing fee of 500 yen applies. On public days, visitors can also participate in a hands-on workshop to try carving Enku-style wooden figures themselves.

Exploring the Temple Grounds

Arako Kannon Temple offers much more than the tahoto pagoda alone. The impressive Sanmon (main gate) features elaborate mitsesaki bracket complexes and houses the two towering Nio guardian statues carved by Enku. These powerful figures, protected behind clear screens to prevent UV damage, are among the largest known Enku carvings in existence.

The main hall (hondo), originally destroyed by fire in 1994, was faithfully rebuilt in 1997 and enshrines the temple's principal image: a sacred statue of Sho Kannon (Avalokitesvara), a hidden Buddha (hibutsu) that is only revealed once every 33 years. The beautiful bell tower (shoro) with its irimoya-style roof draws many visitors during the New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony (joya no kane).

The Rokkakudo (hexagonal hall) is where many of the rediscovered Enku carvings were found in 1972 and remains an atmospheric corner of the temple grounds. Monthly on the first Sunday, the temple hosts the Arako Enku Market (Arako Enku Ichi), a lively flea market bringing artisans, food vendors, and local shoppers together on the temple grounds.

Nearby Attractions and Walking Routes

The area surrounding Arako Kannon Temple is rich with historical sites connected to the samurai lord Maeda Toshiie. A short walk from the temple brings you to the site of Arako Castle, now marked by the Fuji Gongen Tenmangu Shrine, where a grand stone monument commemorates Toshiie's birth. At Arako Station on the Aonami Line, bronze statues of the young Toshiie and his wife Matsu greet visitors.

Follow the "Inuchiyo Route" — named after Toshiie's childhood name — marked by distinctive icons embedded in the pavement, connecting major sites associated with the Maeda clan's early history in the neighborhood. Adjacent to the temple, Arako Park features the Maeda Toshiie Arako Plum Garden, which bursts into color in late February and early March during plum blossom season.

For those looking to explore further, Nagoya Castle is approximately 20 minutes away by public transportation, and the Atsuta Shrine — one of Japan's most important Shinto shrines — is also within easy reach. The nearby Nakagawa Canal area offers waterfront walks and the popular Vermicular Village dining complex.