What Is Koryuji Temple Bell Tower?
Koryuji Temple Bell Tower (高龍寺鐘楼, Kōryū-ji Shōrō) is the timber structure that hangs the great bell of Koryuji, a Soto Zen temple in Funamicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido; built in 1922, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2012. It stands on the right as you pass through the Main Gate, just west of the gate.
It is a timber structure with a copper roof and an area of 14 square meters. The roof is a one-bay hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri), and the tower stands on a podium of coursed stone. The frame follows the Zen style (Zenshūyō), the sides are left open between the posts, the bracket sets (Kumimono) project in two steps, and a coffered ceiling (Gō-tenjō) covers the inside.
According to the temple, Koryuji Temple Bell Tower was donated by Yamazaki Matsuzo, a devout parishioner.
Why the Bell Tower Matters
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the decorative details of Koryuji Temple Bell Tower belong to the same family of designs as those on the Main Gate and the Konpira Hall, and, as with the Water Basin Pavilion, attributes it to Sawada Kichihei and his fellow Echigo carpenters. It shows that the same group of craftsmen was still working on the precinct more than a decade after the gate was finished.
For a structure only one bay square, it carries brackets that step out twice. On an open-sided bell tower the roof and brackets are effectively the whole exterior, and the Zen-style frame and two-step brackets give this small tower enough presence to stand alongside the Main Gate.
Hakodate City points out that the Bell Tower and the Water Basin Pavilion are the only copper-roofed structures in the precinct. With the pavilion to the east of the gate and the tower to the west, the two copper roofs form a pair.
The Bell and Its Daily Ringing
The bell now hanging in Koryuji Temple Bell Tower is younger than the building. The temple says the original was surrendered for its metal during the Second World War, and a new bell was cast in 1954.
It is still rung every day. According to the temple, it sounds at 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., the times when the grounds open and close. Speaking about the registration, the abbot has said that what matters is that a "living temple," whose bell the neighbors hear every day, was recognized as cultural heritage.
Visiting Koryuji Temple Bell Tower
Koryuji Temple Bell Tower can be viewed from outside whenever the grounds are open. Because it is open-sided, standing beside the podium and looking up gives a clear view of the two-step brackets and the coffered ceiling.
The bell is rung as part of the temple's routine, and visitors may not ring it themselves. To hear it, come around 6 a.m. when the grounds open. Please do not climb onto the podium or touch the bell or its striker. Directions and opening hours for the whole temple are on the Koryuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When is the bell at Koryuji Temple Bell Tower rung?
- According to the temple, every day at 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
- When was Koryuji Temple Bell Tower built?
- In 1922. The temple says it was donated by the parishioner Yamazaki Matsuzo.
- Is the bell in Koryuji Temple Bell Tower original?
- No. The first bell was surrendered for metal during the Second World War, and the present bell was cast in 1954.
- Can visitors ring the bell at Koryuji Temple Bell Tower?
- No. The bell is rung by the temple as part of its daily routine.
- What are the architectural features of Koryuji Temple Bell Tower?
- A one-bay hip-and-gable roof in copper, a Zen-style frame, brackets that step out twice, and a coffered ceiling. Its details match the Main Gate and the Konpira Hall.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Bell Tower (高龍寺鐘楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-3 Funamicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2012 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Area 14 square meters; 1 bay square |
| Owner | Koryuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the grounds (grounds open 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Koryuji Bell Tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009107
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koryuji Bell Tower (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/248400
- Designated Townscape Buildings (Hakodate City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014021000244/
- A Walk Around the Funamicho Precinct (Kokkasan Koryuji official site, Japanese)
- https://www.kokkasan.org/halls
- Guide to Koryuji, a Showpiece of Traditional Japanese Architecture (Hakobura, Hakodate official tourism site, Japanese)
- https://www.hakobura.jp/features/107
Last verified: 2026.10.02
