Jigenin Temple Tahoto Pagoda

A Small Tahoto of 1271

The Jigenin Temple Tahoto Pagoda (慈眼院多宝塔) is a small Kamakura-period tahoto pagoda of 1271 in Hineno, Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture, and was designated a National Treasure on November 14, 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a three-bay tahoto pagoda with a cypress-bark roof, designated together with its altar; designation number 00150.

The Agency record also gives an earlier designation date of April 15, 1903, the date of its designation under the former law.

A Pagoda of 1271

According to temple tradition, Jigenin dates back to the late 7th century and was rebuilt by Kukai in the Konin era (810 to 824), but it was burned in the Tensho era (1573 to 1592) and its earlier history is unclear (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The pagoda is said to date from 1271, a date its style supports.

According to the Izumisano City magazine, Jigenin is said to have been founded in 674 at the wish of Emperor Tenmu and stood with many halls as the shrine temple of the neighbouring Hine Shrine, until it was burned in 1585 when Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi attacked Kii. It was later rebuilt by Toyotomi Hideyori, but only the pagoda and the golden hall survive from the earlier temple.

Why It Is a National Treasure

The Agency regrets that a base added when the pagoda was moved during its repair in 1903 has spoiled its appearance, but counts it among the representative tahoto of the Kamakura period. Izumisano City notes that it is counted, with those of Ishiyamadera and Kongosanmaiin, among the three finest tahoto in Japan.

Four-Step Brackets and a Two-Tier Altar

It is a small tahoto with a cypress-bark roof; the upper storey has the regular round body and four-step brackets, with some variations such as the eave soffits patterned in interlocking circles (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The lower storey has two-step brackets, elaborate for a tahoto, and the frog-leg struts between them carry fin-like patterns that show a stage in their becoming ornamental.

Inside there are no four central pillars, leaving a single room under a coved and coffered ceiling, raised again at the centre (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The altar is of the same date as the pagoda, a two-tier dais of lattice and cusped panels with a railing, backed by an unusual wall with a curled-end coping.

What to Look For

Look for the four-step brackets and patterned soffits of the upper storey and the frog-leg struts of the lower (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Izumisano City notes that a seated Dainichi Nyorai with the guardian kings Jikokuten and Tamonten is enshrined inside.

Visiting

It is owned by Jigenin Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on visiting hours or fees was found. The pagoda and the golden hall are introduced together on the Jigenin Temple page.