Kamei Hachiman Shrine Hokyoin Pagoda

A Kamakura Stone Pagoda on a Small Island

The Kamei Hachiman Shrine Hokyoin Pagoda (亀井八幡神社宝篋印塔, Kamei Hachiman jinja hōkyōintō) is a late-Kamakura-period granite Hōkyōintō standing in the grounds of Kamei Hachiman Shrine on Uoshima, Kamijima Town, Ochi District, Ehime Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on March 20, 1954. Uoshima is a small island in the Hiuchi Sea, part of the Seto Inland Sea.

According to the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education, the pagoda first stood on the hill to the left of the shrine, known as Shinozuka Park, and is said to have been moved to its present spot later. It rises from a two-tier platform; the pagoda itself is 192 cm tall, and 238 cm including the platform.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as 1 pagoda from the late Kamakura period (1275 to 1332), owned by Kamei Hachiman Shrine.

Why It Matters

The Kamei Hachiman Shrine Hokyoin Pagoda was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1954. Ehime Prefecture notes that although its inscription can no longer be read, its form and workmanship show the character of the end of the Kamakura period clearly. It is also well preserved, with only slight damage to the base and to the projections on the roof stone.

The base is carved with koza, cusped panels, on three of its sides, and the body bears Sanskrit seed syllables. The ear-like projections rising from the four corners of the roof stone, the sumikazari, are each cut from a single piece of stone (Ehime Prefectural Board of Education).

Islanders have long revered the pagoda as the grave of Shinozuka Iga-no-kami, a warrior of the Nanboku-cho period. The prefecture states plainly that no record explains how or why it was built, so this article presents that story only as local tradition.

What to Look For

Start with the Sanskrit syllables on the body. Then look down at the base: the cusped panels are carved on three sides rather than four. Walk all the way around and compare the carved sides with the plain one.

The corner projections on the roof stone are a key feature for dating hokyointo of the Kamakura period, and it is here, as the prefecture notes, that each is cut from one stone and that slight chips remain. At 238 cm including its platform, the pagoda stands taller than a visitor when seen up close.

Getting to Uoshima

The Kamei Hachiman Shrine Hokyoin Pagoda stands in the shrine grounds and can be seen from outside. No official information on admission or opening hours was found, and there is no guidance on photography; be considerate during shrine events.

Uoshima is reached by the town-run ferry New Uoshima. According to Kamijima Town's timetable, it runs from Habu Port (central pier) on Innoshima via Yuge Port to Uoshima Port, with 4 round trips a day; the trip from Habu to Uoshima takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. With so few sailings, plan your return trip before you set out.