A Late Heian Pagoda in the Central Compound
Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda (金剛寺多宝塔, Kongō-ji Tahōtō) is a two-storey pagoda of the late Heian period (1086 to 1184) at Amanosan Kongoji in Amanocho, Kawachinagano City, Osaka Prefecture; it was designated by the national government on May 27, 1907, and is today an Important Cultural Property.
It stands south of the main hall in the central compound. A tahoto sets a round body on top of a square lower storey and wraps the join in a white, dome-shaped collar called a kamebara; the type was built widely at temples of esoteric Buddhism.
For its date, the temple's conservation plan points to a donation for repairs to the pagoda recorded in 1191. The plan sees this period, when the monk Akan was rebuilding the temple, as the moment the core of today's compound, the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda included, took shape.
A Pagoda Under Wood Shingles
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda as a 3-ken tahoto with a wood-shingle roof. The lower storey has 3 bays on each side, and kokerabuki is roofing made of thin, split boards laid in overlapping courses.
Shingles give thinner eaves than bark or tile, so both roofs read as light, crisp lines. The pairing of a round upper body with a square roof above it is the signature of the form.
The 1907 designation was made under the Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law, as a "specially protected building." The pagoda became an Important Cultural Property when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties took effect on August 29, 1950.
A Painted Interior and a Long Record of Repair
The temple says the first storey of the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda enshrines a Dainichi Nyorai and is painted in vivid colour with a vision of the Buddhist realms. The seated wooden Dainichi dates from the Kamakura period, and the temple notes that its halo, with thirty-seven small attendant Buddhas, and the lotus part of its pedestal keep their original form.
During the Heisei restoration, in August 2012, conservators consolidated flaking paint on the Buddhist images painted on the interior pillars; the temple's website shows photographs from before and after.
The plan's building inventory records a thorough restoration in 1605 and 1606, repairs to part of the upper roof edge in 1851, a fundamental restoration in 1938, and roof work in 1955 and 1972. Most recently, the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda was conserved from 2009 to 2017 together with the main hall and the bell tower.
Visiting the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda
The Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda is inside the central compound and can be seen from outside with the compound ticket. Step back a little and the layers are easy to read: square lower storey, white collar, round body, and the shingled roof on top.
Whether you can enter the first storey or see the painted interior and the Dainichi may vary, so ask at reception, and ask about photography at the same time. Directions, opening hours, and admission are on the Amanosan Kongoji Temple page.
Q&A
- Can you go inside the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda?
- The temple says the first storey holds a Dainichi Nyorai and colourful Buddhist paintings. Ask at reception whether the interior is open.
- How old is the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Heian period (1086 to 1184). The temple's plan cites a donation for its repair recorded in 1191.
- What is the roof of the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda made of?
- Wood shingles (kokerabuki), thin boards laid in overlapping courses. The Agency classifies the building as a 3-ken tahoto.
- When was the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda repaired?
- Major work took place in 1605 and 1606 and in 1938, and the pagoda was conserved again from 2009 to 2017.
- When did the Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda become an Important Cultural Property?
- It was designated on May 27, 1907, and became an Important Cultural Property on August 29, 1950, when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties took effect.
Basic Information
| Name | Kongoji Temple Tahoto Pagoda (金剛寺多宝塔) |
|---|---|
| Location | Amanocho, Kawachinagano City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 1907 (Meiji 40) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | 3-ken tahoto pagoda; wood-shingle roof |
| Owner | Kongoji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable within the paid central-compound visit |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Kongoji Tahoto (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2190
- Cultural Heritage Online: Kongoji Tahoto
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/123197
- Amanosan Kongoji official website (visitor information and highlights)
- https://amanosan-kongoji.jp/
- Amanosan Kongoji: Heisei Restoration
- https://amanosan-kongoji.jp/about/repair/
- Amanosan Kongoji: Cultural Properties
- https://amanosan-kongoji.jp/about/cultural-assets/
- Historic Site Kongoji Precinct Conservation and Utilization Plan, cover to chapter 5 (PDF)
- https://amanosan-kongoji.jp/site/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/%E5%8F%B2%E8%B7%A1%E9%87%91%E5%89%9B%E5%AF%BA%E5%A2%83%E5%86%85%E4%BF%9D%E5%AD%98%E6%B4%BB%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%88%E7%94%BB_%E8%BB%BD%E9%87%8F%E7%89%88%EF%BC%88%E8%A1%A8%E7%B4%99%EF%BD%9E%E7%AC%AC5%E7%AB%A0%EF%BC%89.pdf
- Historic Site Kongoji Precinct Conservation and Utilization Plan, chapter 6-1 (PDF)
- https://amanosan-kongoji.jp/site/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/%E5%8F%B2%E8%B7%A1%E9%87%91%E5%89%9B%E5%AF%BA%E5%A2%83%E5%86%85%E4%BF%9D%E5%AD%98%E6%B4%BB%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%88%E7%94%BB_%E8%BB%BD%E9%87%8F%E7%89%88%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC6%E7%AB%A0-1%EF%BC%89.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.21
