Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower: A Meiji Belfry Moved in the Showa Era
The Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower (龍口寺鐘楼, Ryūkō-ji Shōrō) is an open-sided bell tower built in 1881 and moved in 1969 to the grounds of Ryukoji Temple in Katase, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture; it was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021 under registration number 14-295.
The tower stands on a raised stone platform southeast of the Great Main Hall, with its ridge running north to south. It has a hipped-and-gabled irimoya roof laid with heavy hongawara tiles, and no walls on any side. The floor area is 21 square meters, and the plan is rectangular rather than square; the national description notes that the Ryūkō-ji belfry is large for a bell tower. The temple's own guide places it on the right as you climb into the grounds.
Two Dates for the Ryukoji Bell Tower
Two different dates are attached to the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower. The temple's website says it was erected in 1969 to mark the 700th anniversary of the Tatsunokuchi Persecution, when the monk Nichiren narrowly escaped execution on this spot. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the construction date as 1881 and gives 1969 as the year the tower was relocated.
Read together, the two accounts suggest that the timber frame was built in the Meiji era and set up at Ryukoji in 1969, by which point it was already 88 years old. The registration follows the national record and treats the tower as a Meiji building. The Agency's description does not say where the tower originally stood.
Plain Design, Strong Presence
The Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The national description calls it a bell tower of simple design that nonetheless carries a sense of strength.
That strength comes from the posts and brackets. The frame follows the Zen style of Buddhist architecture, and its four round posts are set with Uchikorobi, a slight inward lean toward the top. Because the posts draw together as they rise, the tower looks planted on the ground even under a broad tiled roof on a rectangular plan.
Closely Packed Brackets, Kaerumata and a Coffered Ceiling
The bracket sets on the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower are three-bearing blocks arranged in the tsumegumi manner. Instead of sitting only on top of each post, identical bracket sets also fill the spaces between the posts, so a continuous band of brackets runs under the eaves. This close spacing is typical of Zen-style buildings.
Two horizontal members tie the tops of the posts. The lower one is shaped like a curved rainbow beam, and the upper one is the head tie beam. Carved Kaerumata braces decorate the gap between them. Looking up, you see three layers stacked one above the other: the beams, the kaerumata and the brackets.
Inside, the roof is closed off with a coffered ceiling. With no walls in the way, anyone standing beside the bell can see straight up into the grid.
Visiting the Ryukoji Bell Tower and Ringing the Bell
The bronze bell hanging in the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower is called the Enju no Kane, the Bell of Long Life, and it carries dragons in relief on its surface. The temple rings it every morning. According to the temple's FAQ, anyone may ring the bell during visiting hours, which that page gives as 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To see the inward lean of the posts, step back a few paces and trace each round post with your eyes from the base up. Since the ridge runs north to south, the long sides of the tower face east and west, and the packed rows of brackets are easiest to count on those sides.
A statue of Nichiren stands between the Ryukoji Bell Tower and the Great Main Hall, a useful landmark for finding it.
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Q&A
- When was the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower built?
- National records date it to 1881 and say it was moved to Ryukoji in 1969. The temple itself describes it as erected in 1969.
- Can visitors ring the bell at the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower?
- Yes. The temple says anyone may ring it freely during visiting hours, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. according to its FAQ.
- Where is the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower within the grounds?
- On a raised platform southeast of the Great Main Hall. A statue of Nichiren stands between the two buildings.
- Why do the posts of the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower look slanted?
- The four round posts are deliberately tilted slightly inward toward the top, a technique called uchikorobi.
- When did the Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On February 26, 2021, under registration number 14-295, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryukoji Temple Bell Tower (龍口寺鐘楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2822 Katase 3-chome, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2021 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Floor area 21 square meters |
| Owner | Ryukoji Temple Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | Exterior open to visitors; the bell may be rung during visiting hours |
References
- Cultural Properties Database: Ryukoji Bell Tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013698
- Ryukoji Bell Tower (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/595229
- About Ryukoji Temple (Jakkozan Ryukoji, Japanese)
- https://ryuukoji.com/about/
- Frequently Asked Questions (Jakkozan Ryukoji, Japanese)
- https://ryuukoji.com/faq/
Last verified: 2026.09.15
