A Heian bell tower facing the repository
The Horyuji Temple Bell Tower (法隆寺鐘楼, Hōryū-ji Shōrō) in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, is a mid-Heian-period belfry, first protected on April 5, 1899, and designated a National Treasure on June 9, 1951. It stands in the cloister just east of the front of the Great Lecture Hall, facing the Sutra Repository across the court.
Three bays by two, it is a two-level rō-zukuri building with a gabled tile roof. Its Nara-period predecessor burned with the lecture hall in 925. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database gives the rebuilding as between 1005 and 1020, while the commentary in the same database places it at the end of the tenth century.
The only Heian building of its type
The rebuilt tower kept the old dimensions. It had stood free outside the corridor, but once the north corridor was extended to the lecture hall, it and the repository found themselves within the walk. Major repairs in the Keichō era altered the eaves, gables and railing.
The Horyuji Bell Tower is the only surviving Heian-period building of this two-level type. It shares its form with the repository, yet side by side it looks heavier, and that contrast is exactly why keeping the pair matters.
Heian hands in columns and beams
Its round columns, on natural stones, taper toward the top, unusual for the Heian period. Only the central front bay has a doorway; the others are closed with white plaster. The horizontal tie across the middle of each wall is a later reinforcement.
Here the upper columns stand directly over the lower ones; in the repository they are set slightly inward, the clearest difference between the two. The brackets are plain three-block sets, and the double rafters curve up sharply at the tips. The roof frame of stacked rainbow beams and frog-leg struts repeats the repository's, but the swelling beam ends, curves and strut shapes are pure Heian.
The central bay of the upper storey is open and has no floor. To carry the heavy bell, a sill and props were added to support the beam above. The bell itself is thought to have been cast in the Nara period and is still rung to start ceremonies.
Visiting
The Bell Tower is within the Western Precinct ticket area, east of the Great Lecture Hall, and is seen from inside the cloister. You cannot climb it. Stand between it and the repository and look from one to the other; the different column positions are easy to spot.
Hours, tickets and directions are on the Horyuji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nara
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Horyuji Temple Bell Tower
- [ Todaiji Great Buddha & Nara Park Deer Experience ]
Q&A
- When was the Horyuji Temple Bell Tower built?
- It is a mid-Heian rebuild. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database dates it between 1005 and 1020, while its commentary says the end of the tenth century.
- How old is the bell in the Horyuji Bell Tower?
- It is thought to have been cast in the Nara period and is still rung to mark the start of ceremonies.
- Can you climb the Horyuji Bell Tower?
- No. It is within the Western Precinct ticket area and viewed from inside the cloister.
- How does the Horyuji Bell Tower differ from the Sutra Repository?
- Both are two-level buildings, but the Bell Tower sets its upper columns directly above the lower ones and shows Heian forms in its beams and struts.
- Is the Horyuji Temple Bell Tower a National Treasure?
- Yes. It was first protected on April 5, 1899, and designated a National Treasure on June 9, 1951.
Basic Information
| Name | Horyuji Temple Bell Tower (Hōryū-ji Shōrō) |
|---|---|
| Location | Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | National Treasure |
| Year Designated | Important Cultural Property 1899/4/5 (Meiji 32, under the earlier law); National Treasure 1951/6/9 (Showa 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 3 by 2 bays, two-level rō-zukuri, gabled roof, tile roof |
| Owner | Horyuji Temple |
| Public Access | Within the Western Precinct ticket area; exterior only |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Horyuji Bell Tower
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2687
- Cultural Heritage Online — Horyuji Bell Tower
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/db/heritages/detail/123494
- Japan Tourism Agency Multilingual Commentary Database — Bell Tower
- https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/R1-00180.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
