A Bell That Crossed the Bay
The Temple Bell at Nihonji, registered simply as 梵鐘 (bonshō), cast in 1321 and kept at Nihonji Temple in Motona, Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture, is a Kamakura-period bronze bell designated an Important Cultural Property in 1976. It stands 117.5 cm tall with a mouth 62.0 cm across.
It was cast by Urabe Sukemitsu, a founder from Shimotsuke Province (now Tochigi). The Agency for Cultural Affairs places him in the Urabe line of founders at Tenmyo in Sano, and regards this Temple Bell as the oldest signed work of that line.
A Journey Recorded in Bronze
According to its inscription, the bell was made for Tenpo Zenji, a temple at Horigome in the Sano estate of Shimotsuke. A later inscription dated 1382 names Jomyoji in Kamakura, showing that it moved there; later still it crossed Edo Bay to become Nihonji's bell.
Nihonji's own website tells the same story from the inscription: donated to Tenpoji, taken some sixty years later to Jomyoji, one of Kamakura's five great Zen temples, and finally carried across the water to Nihonji. The bell's travels from Shimotsuke to Sagami and on to Awa are cast and cut into its surface.
A Kamakura Profile
It was cast in three sections, with the nipple-like bosses (chi) in four rows of four, and plain bands above and below. The inscription runs across all four panels of the central zone, and the two striking points are lotus medallions.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a body that flares gently from the shoulder and drops straight below the middle band, under a tall dragon-head loop crowned with a lotus base and flaming jewel. It judges the Temple Bell strongly Kamakura in character and valuable as a historical record.
Visiting
According to Nihonji, its bell tower was damaged beyond repair by a typhoon in September 2019, and the bell is now kept inside the Dharma Hall as the hall's bell. Check with the temple whether it can be seen there.
Nihonji spreads across the south face of Mount Nokogiri. It is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last entry 3:00 p.m.), and admission is 700 yen for adults. The grounds involve many steps. One route is to walk about 8 minutes from Hama-Kanaya Station on the JR Uchibo Line to the Mount Nokogiri Ropeway and ride up.
Q&A
- Can I see the Temple Bell at Nihonji?
- Its bell tower was wrecked by a typhoon in September 2019, and the bell is now kept inside the Dharma Hall. Ask Nihonji whether it can be viewed.
- When was the Nihonji Temple Bell cast?
- In 1321, by Urabe Sukemitsu, a founder from Shimotsuke Province.
- Where did the Nihonji Temple Bell come from?
- It was made for Tenpo Zenji in Sano, Shimotsuke, moved to Jomyoji in Kamakura around 1382, and later came to Nihonji.
- How big is the Nihonji Temple Bell?
- It is 117.5 cm tall with a mouth 62.0 cm across.
- What are Nihonji's opening hours and admission for seeing the Temple Bell?
- 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last entry 3:00 p.m.), 700 yen for adults. The bell has been kept in the Dharma Hall since 2019.
Basic Information
| Name | Temple Bell (梵鐘) |
|---|---|
| Location | 184 Motona, Kyonan Town, Awa District, Chiba Prefecture (Nihonji Temple) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (craft) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1976/6/5 (Showa 51) |
| Quantity | 1 bell |
| Dimensions | Height 117.5 cm, mouth diameter 62.0 cm |
| Owner | Nihonji Temple |
| Public Access | Kept inside the Dharma Hall (bell tower damaged by the 2019 typhoon) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs database: Temple Bell (Nihonji)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/7141
- Chiba Prefecture: Temple Bell (inscribed Genko 1)
- https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/kyouiku/bunkazai/bunkazai/n141-013.html
- Nihonji: mid-slope area
- https://www.nihonji.jp/%E5%A2%83%E5%86%85%E6%A1%88%E5%86%85/%E4%B8%AD%E8%85%B9%E3%82%A8%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2/
- Nihonji: hours and admission
- https://www.nihonji.jp/%E6%8B%9D%E8%A6%B3%E6%99%82%E9%96%93-%E6%96%99%E9%87%91/
- Chiba Tourism Navi: Nihonji, Mount Nokogiri
- https://maruchiba.jp/spot/detail_10364.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26