Meisenji Five-Storied Pagoda

Myosenji Five-Story Stone Pagoda: A Medieval Masterpiece on the Noto Peninsula

Rising approximately 6.8 meters above the serene grounds of Myosenji Temple in Anamizu, Ishikawa Prefecture, the Myosenji Five-Story Stone Pagoda (明泉寺五重塔) stands as one of the most remarkable stone structures from medieval Japan. Carved entirely from locally quarried Maenami sandstone during the late Kamakura period (late 13th to early 14th century), this pagoda is a breathtaking example of how skilled artisans translated the intricate details of wooden architecture into solid stone. Designated as a nationally Important Cultural Property in 1974, it offers visitors a rare glimpse into the artistic achievements and spiritual devotion of Japan's medieval era.

Historical Background of Myosenji Temple

Myosenji Temple, formally known as Hakuchi-zan Myosenji (白雉山明泉寺), is a Shingon Buddhist temple with roots stretching back to the year 652 CE (Hakuchi 3), during the Asuka period. According to temple tradition, it was founded over 1,370 years ago, making it one of the oldest temples in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture.

During the medieval period, Myosenji flourished as a major religious center. A late Muromachi-period illustrated map of the temple grounds, known as the "Myosenji Keidai Ezu," depicts more than twenty buildings, giving us a glimpse of the temple's former grandeur. The map also shows that the temple originally possessed two stone pagodas — an eastern tower and a western tower. However, during Uesugi Kenshin's military campaign to conquer Noto in the 1570s, one of the two pagodas was reportedly dismantled and its components carried away. Today, only the eastern pagoda survives as the existing Five-Story Stone Pagoda.

The temple grounds are also home to a remarkable collection of approximately 150 medieval stone monuments, including five-ring towers (gorintō), hōkyōintō pagodas, stone Buddhist images, and stone basins, dating from the late Kamakura through the Muromachi periods. About 300 meters from the main temple lies a site known as "Kamakura Yashiki," where around 70 additional stone towers stand, including a hōkyōintō traditionally identified as the grave of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. This entire area has been designated as a Prefectural Historic Site since 1983.

Why It Was Designated as an Important Cultural Property

The Myosenji Five-Story Stone Pagoda was designated as a nationally Important Cultural Property on May 21, 1974, in recognition of its exceptional artistic and historical significance. Several factors contributed to this designation:

First, the pagoda is an unusually large-scale stone structure. At a total height of approximately 6.782 meters, it is one of the tallest and most impressive stone pagodas from the medieval period in Japan. Its sheer size alone sets it apart from most surviving stone towers of the era.

Second, the level of craftsmanship is extraordinary. The artisans who created this pagoda faithfully reproduced the detailed features of wooden five-story pagodas in stone, including triple-layered roofing, double eave rafters (futanoki shigetaruki), corner hip rafters, and descending ridgelines. Each story is composed of separate shaft stones and cap stones, meticulously carved to replicate the appearance of timber construction.

Third, the pagoda houses a stone statue of Dainichi Nyorai (the Cosmic Buddha) within its ground-floor chamber, providing valuable insight into the Buddhist devotional practices of the Kamakura period. The first story features stone walls on three sides, creating a shrine-like interior space for the sculpture.

Finally, the pagoda serves as invaluable evidence of the prosperous medieval culture that flourished at Myosenji and in the wider Noto region, representing both the stone-working traditions of local craftsmen and the religious devotion of the community that supported such ambitious construction.

Architectural Highlights and Craftsmanship

The Five-Story Stone Pagoda is constructed from a type of calcareous fine-grained sandstone known as Maenami-ishi, quarried from the nearby Maenami coast. This locally abundant material allowed the stone masons — believed to have been craftsmen from the Maenami area — to carve remarkably fine details that would typically only be possible in wood.

The base of the pagoda features elegantly carved lotus petal decorations, which art historians consider characteristic of the late Kamakura period aesthetic. The first story's shaft is enclosed on three sides by stone walls, forming a small chamber. The front face features a lattice door (kōshido), behind which sits the stone Dainichi Nyorai statue, dating from the same period as the tower itself.

From the second story upward, each level consists of a single shaft stone, with all four sides divided into two sections. The roofs from the third to fifth stories are each carved from a single stone, reproducing the triple-layered roofing pattern and the fine double eave rafters that characterize wooden pagoda architecture. The careful rendering of corner rafters and descending ridge lines demonstrates an astonishing command of stone-carving technique.

It should be noted that the pagoda had partially collapsed over the centuries, with the upper sections from the third story onward having fallen and scattered around the site. The fourth and fifth story shaft stones, the fifth-story cap stone, and the finial (sōrin) were lost entirely. A comprehensive restoration was carried out from July to November 1970, during which the tower was dismantled, missing elements were reconstructed, and the pagoda was returned to its original form.

The Myosenji Stone Monument Complex

Beyond the Five-Story Pagoda, the temple grounds of Myosenji preserve a remarkable collection of medieval stone monuments. The entire precinct, covering approximately 4,023 square meters, was designated as a Prefectural Historic Site in 1983 together with the nearby Kamakura Yashiki cemetery site.

Within the temple grounds, visitors can discover roughly 150 stone monuments dating from the late Kamakura through the Muromachi periods, including multi-story stone towers (sekisōtō), five-ring towers (gorintō), hōkyōintō pagodas, stone tablets (itabi), stone Buddha images, and stone water basins. The historical record "Noto Meisekishi" describes how the temple precinct was once vast and contained large stone towers, stone lanterns donated by the warrior Hatakeyama Shigetada, and a large stone water basin attributed to Kajiwara Kagetoki.

The temple also houses several important Buddhist sculptures, including a wooden standing statue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon (Senju Kannon), which has been identified as dating back to the early Heian period and was designated as a Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property. According to legend, the "Myōjō-seki" (Morning Star Stone) on the grounds fell from the sky to illuminate the darkness when the monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) practiced asceticism at this temple.

Visitor Information

Myosenji Temple welcomes visitors year-round. The temple is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (until 4:00 PM from December through the end of February). An admission fee of 300 yen is charged for adults. Parking is available on-site.

The temple is situated in a quiet rural setting in the Myōsenji area of Anamizu Town, on the Noto Peninsula. Visitors should be aware that this is a small countryside temple rather than a major tourist facility, and the atmosphere is tranquil and contemplative. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as the grounds include uneven stone pathways and grassy areas around the stone monuments.

To reach Myosenji by public transportation, take the bus from Anamizu Station and alight at the Myōsenji bus stop, from which the temple is about a five-minute walk. By car, the temple is approximately 25 minutes from Anamizu Station or about 40 minutes from the Anamizu Interchange on the Noto Satoyama Kaidō expressway. Noto Satoyama Airport (also known as Noto Airport) is approximately 15 minutes away by car, offering flight connections to Tokyo Haneda.

Surrounding Attractions

Anamizu Town and the broader Noto Peninsula offer numerous attractions that complement a visit to Myosenji Temple. The Satori no Michi (Path of Enlightenment) is a stone-paved walking trail that connects historic temples and shrines in the Nakai district, where a tradition of metal casting flourished for roughly 800 years from the Heian period through the Taishō era.

The Bora Machi Yagura (Mullet-Watching Towers) are distinctive wooden towers once used for an ancient fishing method unique to Anamizu Bay. Fishermen would sit atop the pyramidal wooden structures, watching for schools of mullet to swim into their nets below. Though commercial use largely ceased, reconstructed towers can be viewed at several points along the coast as monuments to this traditional practice.

Noto Wine, located about 12 minutes by car from Anamizu Station, is a local winery that produces wines exclusively from grapes grown on the Noto Peninsula. The vineyard is notable for its innovative use of crushed oyster shells spread across the soil. Free winery tours and wine tastings are available for visitors.

The Shiosai no Michi (Tidal Breeze Path) is a scenic two-kilometer promenade along the Yuhigaoka Plateau overlooking the tranquil waters of Anamizu Bay and Nanao North Bay, offering beautiful views of the lake-like calm sea. Noto Sakura Station (Noto Kashima Station) on the Noto Railway is also famous for its stunning tunnel of cherry blossoms in spring.