What Is Honzenji Temple Bell Tower?
Honzenji Temple Bell Tower (本善寺鐘楼, Honzen-ji Shōrō) is an open-sided belfry (Shōrō) standing just east of the main gate of Honzenji in Iigai, Yoshino Town, Nara Prefecture; built in the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1750), it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on January 15, 2010.
It rises from a platform of cut stone toward the east side of the grounds. One bay each way and without walls, it covers just 9.2 square meters, yet it carries a heavy hip-and-gable roof (Irimoya-zukuri) of traditional pantiles on only 4 posts.
Bracing 4 Posts
The posts of Honzenji Temple Bell Tower stand on stone bases and lean slightly inward as they rise, a technique called Uchikorobi that steadies the frame. Rainbow-shaped tie beams (Kōryō) and horizontal penetrating ties lock them together, and a vase-shaped strut (Taiheizuka) sits in the middle of each span.
The bracket sets on the posts are of the projecting type called Degumi, with small straw-cape-shaped struts, minozuka, between them. The eaves are in two layers, with rafters (Taruki) set fairly close. In other words, the builders gave this small open structure the same carpentry as a full temple hall.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered Honzenji Temple Bell Tower as a model of architectural form, under number 29-0153, noting that its weighty roof gives definition to the temple entrance.
Framing the Entrance
Honzenji Temple Bell Tower stands east of the main gate and the chajo hall west of it, so the two face each other across the gateway. Anyone climbing the stone steps sees their roofs on either side before entering.
For a building only one bay square, the roof is strikingly massive. Seen together with the larger roof of the chajo hall, it shows how the tiled roofs are layered around the approach.
Seeing Honzenji Temple Bell Tower
With no walls, Honzenji Temple Bell Tower shows its whole frame to anyone standing in the grounds: the inward-leaning posts, the tie beams, the vase-shaped struts and the bracket sets. The stone bases and the cut-stone platform can be seen up close.
No information is published on ringing the bell or climbing into the tower. Directions to the grounds are on the Honzenji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Honzenji Temple Bell Tower built?
- In the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1750).
- Where is Honzenji Temple Bell Tower?
- Toward the east of the grounds, on a cut-stone platform just east of the main gate.
- What is special about the structure of Honzenji Temple Bell Tower?
- Its 4 posts stand on stone bases and lean inward, braced by tie beams with vase-shaped struts and topped by projecting bracket sets.
- What kind of roof does Honzenji Temple Bell Tower have?
- A hip-and-gable roof in traditional pantiles, unusually heavy for such a small open building.
- Can visitors ring Honzenji Temple Bell Tower's bell?
- No information is published on this. Please ask the temple.
Basic Information
| Name | Honzenji Temple Bell Tower (本善寺鐘楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 567 Iigai, Yoshino Town, Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 29-0153 |
| Year Designated | Registered January 15, 2010 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single story, tiled roof; area 9.2 square meters (1 bay by 1 bay) |
| Owner | Honzenji Temple |
| Public Access | Visible from the grounds |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 本善寺鐘楼 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008019
- Cultural Heritage Online: 本善寺鐘楼 (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/212590
Last verified: 2026.09.27
