About Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower
Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower (極楽寺鐘楼, Gokuraku-ji Shōrō) is an open timber belfry built between 1839 and 1868, in the closing decades of the Edo period, at Gokurakuji, a Jodo Buddhist temple in Wakabacho, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2011.
It stands east of the sutra repository. An Irimoya-zukuri hip-and-gable roof in Sangawara-buki pantiles runs its ridge north to south over a frame 1 ken square, left open on all four sides. The structure covers 8.7 square metres and was repaired in 2010. In the national register it is classed not as a building but as a structure of another kind, the category also used for gates and similar works.
Why Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower Was Registered
Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the country, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as soundly built.
That soundness starts at ground level. A tall platform of piled stone carries stone column bases, and on these stand 4 round columns set with a slight inward lean on all sides (shihō-korobi). Horizontal nuki tie-beams and a head-plate (daiwa) lock them together.
A tower that holds a heavy bronze bell has to resist swaying, and inward-leaning posts bound by crosspieces are a direct answer to that demand.
Details to Look for at Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower
Each column top carries a Mitsudo-gumi bracket set, and a Kaerumata "frog-leg" strut decorates the space between columns. Overhead is a coffered Gō-tenjō ceiling, and the eaves use two layers of closely spaced rafters (Taruki).
With no walls to hide anything, Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower shows its whole frame at once: the lean of the columns, the line of the tie-beams and head-plate, the rhythm of brackets and frog-leg struts, and the grid of the ceiling.
Visiting Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower
Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower stands east of the sutra repository, and because it is open on all sides its frame and ceiling can be seen from outside. The high platform means you will be looking up at the brackets and coffers.
Visitors are asked to contact Gokurakuji before coming (0257-23-2233, Japanese). No published guidance says whether visitors may strike the bell, so do not ring it without permission, and ask about photography when you call. Directions are on the Gokurakuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower built?
- In the late Edo period; the national register gives a range of 1839 to 1868. It was repaired in 2010.
- May visitors ring the bell at Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower?
- No published guidance allows it. Do not strike the bell without permission, and ask when you contact the temple in advance (0257-23-2233).
- What are the structural features of Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower?
- Round columns leaning slightly inward stand on stone bases atop a tall stone platform, tied by nuki and a head-plate. The columns carry three-block bracket sets, with frog-leg struts between them, a coffered ceiling and double-layered rafters.
- How big is Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower?
- It is an open belfry 1 ken square with an area of 8.7 square metres, under a hip-and-gable tiled roof.
- Is Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower a cultural property?
- Yes. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 28, 2011.
Basic Information
| Name | Gokurakuji Temple Bell Tower (Gokuraku-ji Shōrō) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-1 Wakabacho, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Buildings and Structures) |
| Year Designated | 2011-10-28 (registered; Registration No. 15-0359) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, area 8.7 square metres (1 ken square) |
| Owner | Gokurakuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the temple grounds; contact the temple in advance (0257-23-2233) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Gokurakuji Bell Tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008850
- Cultural Heritage Online: Gokurakuji Bell Tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/241213
- Cultural Properties of Kashiwazaki (Kashiwazaki City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kashiwazaki.lg.jp/soshikiichiran/kyoikuiinkai/hakubutsukan/1/23/2/4277.html
- Gokurakuji (Kashiwazaki Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://www.uwatt.com/detail/1079/index.html
Last verified: 2026.09.16
