A Tall Bell Tower from the Last Years of the Shogunate
The Enichiji Temple Bell Tower (慧日寺鐘楼, Enichi-ji Shōrō) is a 2-storey timber bell tower built in 1867 in the precinct of Enichiji Temple in Sannan-chō, Tanba City, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 19, 2014. It has a Hiwadabuki cypress-bark roof and a building area of only 5.9 square metres, and it is the youngest of the five registered buildings at Enichiji.
The Bell Tower stands south of the abbot's quarters on a low base of rubble stonework (ranseki-zumi), its ridge running east to west. It is one bay square. The lower storey is enclosed by a hakama-goshi, a flared skirt of boarding, and the bell hangs in the upper storey above it.
Why It Was Registered: Presence Beyond Its Size
The Enichiji Temple Bell Tower was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out its height, describing a tall bell tower with a strong presence.
The footprint is just 5.9 square metres. The skirt lifts the upper storey, and the Irimoya-zukuri roof above adds more height again. In a precinct dominated by the low, spreading thatch of the abbot's quarters and priests' quarters, the Bell Tower adds a vertical line.
Its date needs a note. The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History describes the abbot's quarters and bell tower as rebuilt in or after the Genroku era (1688–1704), with one account giving 1718. The national register dates the Bell Tower to 1867, roughly 150 years later. This page follows the register.
What to Look For: The Timberwork Above the Bell
Look up into the bell chamber of the Enichiji Bell Tower. The beam that carries the bronze bell is left exposed, and above it the tail ends of the decorative hip rafters are assembled in full view. There is no ceiling: the underside of the roof itself is the finish, a Keshō-yaneura exposed roof structure, so layer after layer of framing rises above the bell.
The eaves are double-layered and closely spaced (futanoki shigedaruki). The balcony around the upper storey rests on Kumimono bracket sets of the two-step type (futatesaki), arranged as tsumegumi, meaning sets are placed between the posts as well as on top of them. The Agency for Cultural Affairs remarks on how full this bracketing is for so small a structure.
The base is built of irregular natural stones rather than dressed blocks. That rough footing sets off the soft line of the bark roof above.
Visiting the Enichiji Temple Bell Tower
The Enichiji Temple Bell Tower is seen from the precinct during Enichiji's opening hours, after paying the admission fee. Directions and visiting conditions for the whole temple are gathered on the Enichiji Temple page.
Official tourism listings do not say whether visitors may strike the bell, so do not ring it without the temple's permission. The bracketing and exposed roof framing can be studied by looking up from outside the stone base. Check at reception about photography.
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Q&A
- When was the Enichiji Temple Bell Tower built?
- The national register dates it to 1867, making it the youngest of Enichiji's five registered buildings. The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History cites an account placing the rebuilding in or after the Genroku era, so sources differ on the date.
- What is the skirt on the Enichiji Temple Bell Tower?
- It is a hakama-goshi, a flared enclosure of boarding around the lower storey, named for its resemblance to hakama trousers. It lifts the bell chamber high above the ground.
- What should I look for at the Enichiji Temple Bell Tower?
- Look up into the bell chamber: the bell hangs from an exposed beam beneath an open roof structure with the rafter ends in view. The double-layered eaves and the two-step bracket sets under the balcony are also worth a close look.
- Why is the Enichiji Temple Bell Tower a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2014 for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as tall and strong in presence.
- Can visitors ring the bell at the Enichiji Temple Bell Tower?
- Official listings do not say, so do not ring it without the temple's permission. The exterior can be viewed from the precinct during opening hours.
Basic Information
| Name | Enichiji Temple Bell Tower |
|---|---|
| Location | 127-1 Ota, Sannan-cho, Tanba City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2014 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 5.9 square metres |
| Owner | Enichiji Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | Grounds open to visitors (admission fee); exterior viewed from the precinct |
References
- Cultural Properties Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Enichiji Shoro
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010326
- Cultural Heritage Online: Enichiji Shoro
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/289109
- Tanba City: National Designated, Selected and Registered Cultural Properties
- https://www.city.tamba.lg.jp/soshiki/shakaikyoikubunkazaika/gyomuannai/7/1/1650.html
- Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History, Hyogo Rekishi no Michi: Enichiji
- https://www.hyogo-c.ed.jp/~rekihaku-bo/historystation/trip/html/079/079.html
- Burari Tambaji (Hyogo Tanba tourism portal): Enichiji
- https://www.burari-tambaji.com/spot/65
Last verified: 2026.09.19
