Ryosenji Temple Bell Tower

A Muromachi Bell Tower with a Flared Skirt

The Ryosenji Temple Bell Tower (霊山寺鐘楼, Ryosenji Shoro) is a bell tower of the mid-Muromachi period (1393 to 1466) at Ryosenji in Nakamachi, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, which in 1943 was designated an Important Cultural Property.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a one-by-one-bay structure with a hakamagoshi, a hip-and-gable roof and cypress-bark roofing. The hakamagoshi is the flared board skirt enclosing the lower storey, like the pleated trousers it is named after.

The temple says that its details suggest a date in the early Muromachi period, which differs from the Agency's mid-Muromachi record.

Why It Matters

The temple praises the Ryosenji Temple Bell Tower as balanced and graceful whether seen from the front or at an angle.

The bell it holds was cast in 1644, according to the temple, and its inscription records the history of Ryosenji and the casting of the bell, giving it considerable historical value.

What to Look For

Look first at the spread of the skirt around the lower storey. The building is only one bay square, but the flared base under the hip-and-gable roof gives it a steady, grounded look.

As the temple suggests, view it from the front and at an angle. From the corner, the line of the flared skirt and the curve of the bark roof come together and show how well proportioned it is.

Visiting the Bell Tower

The bell tower is seen from outside. Directions and admission for the grounds are given on the Ryosenji Temple page.