A Bell Tower on a Stone Platform
Along a garden path southwest of the Main Hall of Yugyo-ji, a bell tower stands on a raised stone platform. Built in 1934, the Shoro is a single-bay, open structure with a gable roof of copper sheeting, and it shelters a temple bell far older than the tower itself.
Shojoko-ji, popularly Yugyo-ji, is the head temple of the Ji-shu sect, founded in 1325 by the priest Donkai. The bell it houses carries an inscription dated 1356, and is designated an Important Cultural Property by Kanagawa Prefecture, so the modest Showa-period tower frames a medieval object.
Why the Tower Is Registered
Registered in 2016 for its contribution to the central precinct's appearance, the tower rests on a stone-faced base and runs on an east-west axis. Four octagonal posts lean inward and are tied by three tiers of penetrating rails, above which three-on-one bracket sets carry the frame. At each gable, a large strut on a shaped rainbow beam supports the ridge, and inside a coffered ceiling is fitted.
Its floor area is about eleven square metres. Compact and carefully built, the tower contributes to the view at the heart of the precinct, where the sound of the bell marks the temple's hours.
What to Look For
Look for the inward lean of the octagonal posts and the three tiers of rails that lock them together, an unusually deliberate structure for a small building. The bell within, cast in the medieval period, stands about 168 centimetres tall and carries a long inscription around its body.
The tower is in the open precinct and can be seen freely during daytime; the bell is rung on ceremonial occasions rather than for casual visitors.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shojokoji Temple Bell Tower
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Q&A
- When was the bell tower built?
- The tower itself dates from 1934. The bell it houses is much older, with an inscription dated 1356.
- Is the bell also a cultural property?
- Yes. The bell is designated an Important Cultural Property by Kanagawa Prefecture, distinct from the tower's national registration.
- What is distinctive about the structure?
- Its four octagonal posts lean inward and are tied by three tiers of rails, and the interior carries a coffered ceiling, careful work for a small building.
- Where is it in the precinct?
- Southwest of the Main Hall, along a garden path, on a raised stone platform near the centre of the grounds.
- Can visitors ring the bell?
- The bell is generally sounded on ceremonial occasions rather than by visitors, but the tower can be viewed freely in the daytime.
Basic Information
| Name | Bell Tower (Shoro) of Shojoko-ji (Yugyo-ji) |
|---|---|
| Location | 神奈川県藤沢市西富一丁目208 (Fujisawa, Kanagawa) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Registered | 25 February 2016 (Reg. no. 14-0213) |
| Date | 1934 (early Showa) |
| Structure | Timber, open bay; gable copper roof; area approx. 11 sq m |
| Owner | Religious corporation Shojoko-ji |
| Access | In the open precinct; viewable in daytime |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database (Bell Tower)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010940
- Yugyo-ji (Shojoko-ji) official site
- https://yugyoji.or.jp/
- Fujisawa City Tourism — Yugyo-ji
- https://www.fujisawa-kanko.jp/spot/fujisawa/03.html
- Shojoko-ji — Wikipedia (Japanese)
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B8%85%E6%B5%84%E5%85%89%E5%AF%BA
Last verified: 2026.07.05