A Stone Stupa in the Cemetery
North of the main precinct, in a cemetery at Kawakami-chō that once belonged to Todai-ji and was known as Tomobaka, a large stone five-ring stupa rises among the graves. A gorintō stacks five stones for the five elements: a cube, a sphere, a pyramidal roof, a half-moon, and a jewel at the top. This one is heavy and low, its base stone squat, and its scale sets it apart from those around it.
The stupa is thought to have been carved in the early Kamakura period. It was not always here; by tradition it was moved to this spot during the Genroku era of the Edo period. That it stands away from the halls of Todai-ji, in the burial ground on the northern hill, gives it a different character from the temple's roofed monuments.
Tradition, Rarity, and Value
The stupa is best known for a tradition: it is said to mark the grave of Shunjōbō Chōgen, the priest who rebuilt Todai-ji after the fire of 1180, and in earlier centuries it was even described as the tomb of Minamoto no Yoritomo. These attributions are traditions rather than settled fact, and are best treated as such.
What can be said with more confidence is that the stupa is unusual in form. Its fire-ring, the roof-shaped stone, has a triangular rather than square plan, a rare type associated with monuments connected to Chōgen. Designated an Important Cultural Property in 1955, it ranks among the oldest surviving stone stupas in Nara Prefecture, which is the firmer ground for its importance.
Finding It
The stupa stands in a working cemetery rather than a temple courtyard, in the Mikasa burial ground where Todai-ji still keeps a plot. Visitors who make their way there should treat it as the quiet grave-marker it is, and keep to the manners of a cemetery.
For anyone interested in Chōgen, the monument connects to a wider trail across the temple. The priest's own memorial hall, the Shunjō-dō, stands in the main precinct near the bell tower and opens on set days, and the iron tub he commissioned survives in the Ōyuya. The triangular stupa adds a stone chapter to that story of the great restorer.
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Q&A
- What is the Todai-ji Gorintō?
- A large stone five-ring stupa in the Todai-ji cemetery at Kawakami-chō, an Important Cultural Property thought to date from the early Kamakura period.
- Whose grave is it?
- By tradition it marks the grave of the priest Chōgen, and it was formerly also called the tomb of Minamoto no Yoritomo. Both are traditions rather than confirmed fact.
- What makes its form unusual?
- Its fire-ring has a triangular plan rather than the usual square, a rare type linked to monuments associated with Chōgen.
- Why is it important?
- It ranks among the oldest surviving stone stupas in Nara Prefecture. It was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1955.
- Where is it?
- In the Mikasa cemetery at Kawakami-chō, north of the main Todai-ji precinct, in a burial ground the temple still uses.
Basic Information
| Name | Todai-ji Gorintō (東大寺五輪塔) |
|---|---|
| Location | Kawakami-chō, Nara City, Nara Prefecture (Todai-ji cemetery) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (structures) |
| Date designated | 2 February 1955 |
| Period | Early Kamakura period |
| Structure | Stone five-ring stupa (gorintō) |
| Count | 1 unit |
| Owner | Todai-ji |
| Access | Stands in a working cemetery; view with cemetery manners |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース — 東大寺
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/2458
- 東大寺 — Wikipedia
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/東大寺
- 東大寺（公式サイト）
- https://www.todaiji.or.jp/
Last verified: 2026.07.04