The Oldest Dated Monument at Jodoji
Jodoji Temple Sutra Stupa (Nokyoto) (浄土寺納経塔, Jōdo-ji Nōkyōtō) is a Kamakura-period stone stupa in the grounds of Jodoji Temple, Higashikubo-cho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, inscribed with the date of the 14th day of the 10th month of 1278 and designated an Important Cultural Property on August 29, 1953.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it as a stone hōtō stupa on a platform and records the inscription "Kōan 1, tsuchinoe-tora year, 10th month, 14th day." The Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education gives its height as 2.7 meters. Of all the designated structures at Jodoji, the Nokyoto carries the earliest date. It predates the fire of 1325, and it predates the revival of the temple by the Saidaiji monk Jōshō between 1303 and 1306.
We also know why it was made. According to the Hiroshima board of education, the Jodoji Sutra Stupa was raised in 1278 by Kōa Yoshichika as a memorial for his father Kōami Dabutsu, a wealthy Onomichi merchant. Kōami Dabutsu is credited with funding repairs to the hall that preceded the present Amida Hall, before Jōshō arrived.
The name comes from what went inside. Sutras, including the Lotus Sutra, the three Pure Land sutras and the Brahma Net Sutra, were deposited in it. The monument was both a memorial and a container for scripture, which is what "nōkyō" (sutra offering) records.
Why the Nokyoto Is Protected
The Hiroshima board of education ranks the Jodoji Sutra Stupa as an early and well-formed example among Kamakura-period stone hōtō.
The case rests on details. The sides of the base carry carved cusped panels, and a small railing sits above the rounded body, giving the stupa a complete, orderly form. The top is older in feel: a square plinth on the roof, then a lotus cup and a jewel finial. Set on its broad platform, the whole reads as heavy and forceful.
Around the body are the seed syllables of the four Buddhas of the Womb Realm mandala, each Buddha written as a single Sanskrit letter facing its own direction. A complete form, an archaic top and a clear date left by an Onomichi merchant family all come together in one stone.
The family name appears again later. The temple's own history names a "Kōami Dabutsu" as the leading Onomichi patron who backed the revival from 1303. The available sources do not settle if this is the man commemorated by the Nokyoto or a later family member who used the same name.
What to Look For at the Nokyoto
The Jodoji Sutra Stupa stands at the eastern edge of the grounds, beyond the Tahoto pagoda. Right beside it is a hōkyōintō stupa dated 1348, so two medieval stone monuments of different types can be seen together.
Start with the platform. It lifts the 2.7-meter stupa and makes it look larger than it is. Then read upward: the swelling body, the railing above it, the plinth on the roof and the jewel at the top. That sequence shows both the orderly form and the older top that the prefecture describes.
Walk around the body to find the seed syllables on each face. Changing your angle to the light makes the shallow carving easier to read.
Visiting the Jodoji Sutra Stupa
The Jodoji Sutra Stupa stands outdoors in the temple grounds and can be seen free of charge whenever the grounds are open, independent of the reception hours for the hall interiors.
Do not touch or lean on the stone; weathering already softens the carving, so look from a short distance. Directions and admission for the temple are on the Jodoji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was the Jodoji Temple Sutra Stupa made?
- It bears an inscription dated the 14th day of the 10th month of 1278, the earliest date among Jodoji's designated structures.
- Who built the Jodoji Sutra Stupa?
- According to the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education, Kōa Yoshichika raised it as a memorial for his father, the Onomichi merchant Kōami Dabutsu.
- What does "Nokyoto" mean, and what was placed inside?
- It means a stupa for offering sutras. The Lotus Sutra, the three Pure Land sutras and the Brahma Net Sutra, among others, were deposited in the Jodoji Sutra Stupa.
- Where is the Jodoji Sutra Stupa, and is it free to see?
- It stands at the eastern edge of the grounds beyond the Tahoto pagoda, next to a hōkyōintō stupa dated 1348. It is outdoors and free to view.
- How tall is the Jodoji Sutra Stupa?
- About 2.7 meters, according to the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education, standing on a large stone platform.
Basic Information
| Name | Jodoji Temple Sutra Stupa (Nokyoto) (浄土寺納経塔) |
|---|---|
| Location | Higashikubo-cho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 1953 (August 29) |
| Quantity | 1 stupa |
| Dimensions | Stone hōtō stupa on a platform; height 2.7 meters (Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education) |
| Owner | Jodoji Temple |
| Public Access | Outdoors in the grounds; free to view |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Jodoji Sutra Stupa
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/3127
- Cultural Heritage Online: Jodoji Sutra Stupa
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/123934
- Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education: Cultural Properties of Onomichi (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/655404.pdf
- Jodoji Temple: History (Japanese)
- https://ermjp.com/j/temple/histry/engi.htm
Last verified: 2026.09.27
