Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower: An Open Belfry of 1818 on Inward-Leaning Posts
The Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower (寶福寺鐘楼, Hōfukuji Shōrō) is an open-sided bell tower of 1818 southeast of the abbot's quarters at Hōfukuji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on April 28, 2009.
The tower is a single bay square and has no walls. It stands on a base of cut stone under a hip-and-gable roof in the Irimoya-zukuri form, laid with Hongawarabuki tiles, with its ridge running north to south. Its area is 7.8 square meters. The posts, square in section and 4 in number, are set in the shiho-korobi manner, each leaning slightly inward toward the top.
The posts are tied together by 3 levels of horizontal tie beams, at the base, at lintel height and at the top, plus a heavy plate on top. Above them sit 3-bearing bracket sets, a Kaerumata strut is placed in the middle of each bay, and the eaves have a single tier of widely spaced rafters. The Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower was one of 18 structures registered on April 28, 2009, under registration number 33-0213.
Why It Was Registered
The Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower was registered as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that its small gables and gentle roof pitch give it a calm appearance.
A hip-and-gable roof can look lofty if the gable triangle is large, or settled and close to a hipped roof if it is small. Here the gables are small and the pitch shallow, so the roof sits low and spreads outward. Combined with posts that splay at the base, the result is a stable, grounded silhouette.
Shiho-korobi means leaning every post inward, which requires every joint between post and tie beam to be cut at an angle. An open bell tower has no walls to brace it, so the Hofukuji tower relies on its 3 levels of ties and the plate, with the splayed posts bracing it like a stance with feet apart. Structural ingenuity and a calm appearance go together in this small building.
What to Look For
Stand back from the Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower and look at the posts from the front: they draw together toward the top and spread at the base. Then look from the side, where they lean the same way. Seeing the tilt in both directions is the key to shiho-korobi.
Next, look up at the tops of the posts. Bracket sets line the plate, and a kaerumata, a strut shaped like the splayed legs of a frog, fills the middle of each bay. The widely spaced single rafters make a plain eave that suits the gentle roof.
The tower stands southeast of the abbot's quarters. Compare it with the great roof of that hall: both are hip-and-gable, yet scale and pitch make them look entirely different. Look down at the cut-stone base as well.
Visiting
The Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower is outdoors and can be seen from outside during temple hours, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., free of charge. The tourism information makes no mention of visitors being allowed to ring the bell.
Walk north from the Buddha Hall; the tower stands to the southeast of the abbot's quarters. Please view it from around the base rather than climbing onto it.
JR Soja Station is about half an hour away on foot; the Okayama Soja interchange is roughly a quarter of an hour by car, and the temple has parking for 75 cars. No photography notices are posted. Autumn color usually peaks in mid-November.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower
- [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower built?
- In 1818. It was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on April 28, 2009, as number 33-0213.
- What is shiho-korobi at the Hofukuji Bell Tower?
- A technique in which all 4 posts lean inward toward the top, spreading the base and steadying the structure.
- How is the Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower built?
- It is an open, single-bay tower on a cut-stone base with a tiled hip-and-gable roof, 3-bearing bracket sets and kaerumata struts.
- What gives the Hofukuji Bell Tower its appearance?
- Small gables and a gentle roof pitch make it look low and calm. Its area is 7.8 square meters.
- Can visitors ring the bell at the Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower?
- The tourism information does not say that visitors may ring it. The tower can be seen free of charge during temple hours, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Basic Information
| Name | Hofukuji Temple Bell Tower |
|---|---|
| Location | 1968-1 Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2009 (Heisei 21), registered |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, area 7.8 square meters |
| Owner | Hofukuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Outdoors, open to view (no admission fee) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Hofukuji Shoro
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007674
- Cultural Heritage Online: Hofukuji Shoro
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/183886
- Soja City: Hofukuji Registered Buildings (24 structures)
- https://www.city.soja.okayama.jp/soshiki/26/2960.html
- Okayama Kanko Web: Hofukuji
- https://www.okayama-kanko.jp/spot/detail_10821.html
Last verified: 2026.09.10