A Small Belfry, Heavily Built
The Shorinbo Bell Tower (照林坊鐘撞堂, Shōrinbō Kanetsukidō) is an open-sided belfry of 1744, in the mid Edo period, standing south-east of the main hall at Shorinbo in Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 July 2011.
It stands on a platform of dressed stone and measures one bay by one bay, with no walls on any side. A timber structure with a tiled roof covering 16 square metres, it is the smallest of Shorinbo's eight registered buildings. It was repaired in 1994 (Heisei 6).
The national database classes the Shorinbo Bell Tower not as a building but as an "other structure". Nobody lives or worships in it; it exists to hang a bell and to make the act of ringing it visible.
Why It Was Registered
The bell tower was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a fine belfry of the early modern period.
What makes it fine is how much serious carpentry has been packed into a structure of 16 square metres. Formal techniques are layered from the foot of the posts to the tips of the eaves, and with no walls, every one of them is on show. As the oldest building at Shorinbo after the main gate, it also survives in good order down to its details.
What to Look At
Round posts on stone bases
Each post stands on a separate base disc (soban) set on the foundation stone. The posts are round and taper at the top and bottom (chimaki). Both features are generally traced to the Zen style that came to Japan with Zen Buddhism in the Kamakura period.
Posts that lean in
The four posts are not quite vertical but lean slightly inward toward the top (Uchikorobi), which tightens the frame and makes the structure look firmly planted. Tie-beams passing through the posts (Nuki) and a head plate around the top lock them together.
Two-stepped brackets and carved struts
On the head plate sit bracket sets projecting in two steps, each with a tail rafter (odaruki) angling out from inside. Bracket sets appear not only on the posts but also at the centre of each bay, with carved frog-leg struts (kaerumata) between them. The rafters are doubled in two tiers, giving deep eaves.
The hip-and-gable roof
The roof is hip-and-gable, laid with pantiles (Sangawara-buki). A broad roof carried far out on brackets over a very small plan gives the Shorinbo Bell Tower its compact, muscular outline.
Visiting
Because the bell tower has no walls, the posts and bracketing can be studied in detail from the grounds. Look up between the posts to follow the layered brackets and carved struts, then step back to see the whole silhouette against the main hall roof.
The bell is rung for temple observances, and as of October 2026 we found no indication that visitors may ring it. Please leave it untouched.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shorinbo Bell Tower
- [ Itsukushima Shrine & Hiroshima Peace Memorial ]
Q&A
- When was the Shorinbo Bell Tower built?
- It dates from the mid Edo period, 1744 (Enkyo 1), and was repaired in 1994. Among Shorinbo's eight registered buildings, only the main gate is older.
- What kind of structure is the Shorinbo Bell Tower?
- It is an open-sided belfry, one bay by one bay, on a dressed-stone platform, with a hip-and-gable pantile roof. At 16 square metres it is the smallest of the eight registered buildings at Shorinbo.
- What details should I look for on the Shorinbo Bell Tower?
- Round tapered posts on base discs, leaning slightly inward; two-stepped bracket sets with tail rafters; extra bracket sets at the centre of each bay with carved struts between them; and double-tier rafters. All can be seen from the grounds.
- Why is the Shorinbo Bell Tower a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 25 July 2011 for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a fine belfry of the early modern period.
- Can visitors ring the bell at the Shorinbo Bell Tower?
- As of October 2026 there was no indication that visitors may ring it. The bell is used for temple observances, so please look without touching.
Basic Information
| Name | Shorinbo Bell Tower (照林坊鐘撞堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1280 Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, area 16 square metres (1 bay by 1 bay) |
| Owner | Shorinbo (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Visible from the temple grounds |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Shorinbo Bell Tower (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008781
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shorinbo Bell Tower (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/213822
Last verified: 2026.10.07
