A Muromachi Pagoda in the Hills above Bizen
The Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda (大滝山三重塔, also read Ōtakiyama) is a mid-Muromachi-period three-storey pagoda in the grounds of Fukushoji Temple on Mount Otaki in Ouchi, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on April 19, 1926. According to Okayama Prefecture, it was rebuilt in 1441 by Ashikaga Yoshinori, the sixth Muromachi shogun.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a three-bay, three-storey pagoda with a tiled roof in the hongawara style and dates it to the mid-Muromachi period. Its owners are listed jointly as Fukujuin, Jissoin and Saihoin, the three sub-temples that now look after Fukushoji, a temple said to have been founded by the Chinese monk Jianzhen (Ganjin) in the Tenpyo Shoho era (749 to 757).
Why It Was Designated
The Otakisan pagoda was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1926. Okayama Prefecture points to its generous timber proportions and deep eaves, which give it a weighty, grounded presence typical of Muromachi architecture.
The pagoda stands 19.72 metres in total, of which the cast-iron finial accounts for 6.12 metres. That is modest for a three-storey pagoda, and the iron spire is one of its distinguishing details.
What to Look For
The Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda is three bays square, and all of its pillars are round. The eaves are carried on double rows of closely spaced rafters (shigedaruki), supported by Japanese-style bracket sets (tokyo) projecting in three steps with tail rafters (Okayama Prefecture). Stand beneath it and look up to see how densely the brackets and rafters are packed.
Bronze wind bells hang from the four corners of each storey. Between the bracket sets, the intermediate supports are shapely minozuka, short struts that flare at the base like a straw rain cape, a feature the prefecture singles out.
Step back to take in the whole pagoda: the slender cast-iron finial, almost a third of the total height, contrasts with the three broad, low roofs below it.
Visiting the Otakisan Pagoda
Only the exterior of the Otakisan pagoda is open to visitors, according to Okayama Prefecture; the interior is not shown.
It is about 10 minutes by car from JR Imbe Station on the Ako Line, or about a 40-minute walk from the Ouchi stop on the Uno Bus line. The Okayama tourism federation adds that it is also about 10 minutes by taxi from JR Kagato Station and 15 minutes by car from the Wake Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway, with parking for 30 cars. The address is 964 Ouchi, Bizen City.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda
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Q&A
- When was the Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda built?
- Okayama Prefecture says it was rebuilt in 1441 by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori; the Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the mid-Muromachi period.
- How tall is the Otakisan pagoda?
- 19.72 metres in total, including a 6.12-metre cast-iron finial.
- Is the Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda an Important Cultural Property?
- Yes. It was designated on April 19, 1926.
- Can you go inside the Otakisan pagoda?
- No. Only the exterior is open to visitors.
- How do you get to the Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda?
- About 10 minutes by car from JR Imbe Station, or a 40-minute walk from the Ouchi bus stop. There is parking for 30 cars.
Basic Information
| Name | Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda (大滝山三重塔) |
|---|---|
| Location | 964 Ouchi, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture (Fukushoji Temple grounds) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1926/4/19 (Taisho 15) |
| Quantity | 1 pagoda |
| Dimensions | Three bays, three storeys, hongawara tiled roof; total height 19.72 metres (finial 6.12 metres) |
| Owner | Otakisan Fukujuin, Otakisan Jissoin, Otakisan Saihoin |
| Public Access | Exterior only |
References
- Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/3033
- Otakisan Three-Story Pagoda (Okayama Prefecture cultural properties)
- https://www.pref.okayama.jp/uploaded/attachment/260721.pdf
- Fukushoji Temple (Okayama Tourism Federation)
- https://www.okayama-kanko.jp/spot/detail_11105.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06