Saikyoji Temple Bell Tower

An Open Bell Tower on a Tall Stone Base

Saikyoji Temple Bell Tower (西教寺鐘楼, Saikyō-ji Shōrō) is an open-sided belfry built around 1899 on the front of Saikyoji, between the East Gate and the Great Gate, in Saiwai, Izumi City, Osaka Prefecture, and it was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 7, 2014.

It is a timber shoro covering 5.5 square metres, open on all four sides, with a gabled kirizuma roof of interlocking round and flat tiles. It rises from a tall base of cut stone laid in level courses.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes its height and the way it shapes the view of the temple front. From the street, the roof of the Saikyoji bell tower stands out just south of the Great Gate.

Round Pillars, Bracket Sets and Showy Side Panels

The Saikyoji Temple Bell Tower was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.

Its round pillars are tied together with nuki tie-beams and a top frame, and each carries a three-bearing bracket set. Between the pillars sit kaerumata braces worked into full carvings.

On the gable end, a taiheizuka strut stands on the gable tie-beam, flanked by ornate oigata panels. The same scheme appears on the Great Gate, so the gate and the bell tower together set the tone for the frontage.

What to Look For

Notice first how high it stands. The cut-stone base lifts the whole tower, so this small building holds its own when seen from the street.

Then read upward: the bracket sets on the pillars, the carved braces between them, and the side panels in the gable. Compare the panels with the clouds and twin dragons on the Great Gate and you can see how the two structures echo each other.

Visiting the Saikyoji Temple Bell Tower

The Saikyoji Temple Bell Tower is an open structure at the front of the precinct, visible from inside the grounds and from the street. Official information does not say whether visitors may climb the base or strike the bell, so check with the temple, and ask about photography too. Directions are on the Saikyoji Temple (Izumi) page.