A bell tower with an unusual height
West of the vigil hall stands the temple bell tower, or shoro, a two-story timber structure raised on a double base of stone and concrete. Its core dates to 1761, in the Horeki era, though the tower as it stands owes much of its present look to later work. The building covers about 35 square meters and carries an irimoya roof laid with pantiles.
The two levels are handled differently. The lower story is closed in on all four sides with horizontal board walls, and a stair on the west face climbs to the top. The upper story is left open, ringed by a balcony that projects on all sides, so the bell can sound out over the grounds.
A registered structure shaped by its repairs
The bell tower entered the national register on 2 May 2017 as part of the eight-building group around the Shoden hall, listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. Its history is one of repeated adjustment: alterations in the Taisho era and again in 1951 changed its proportions.
Those repairs are part of why the tower reads the way it does. Rather than hide the record of change, the registration values the structure as it has come down, layered work and all. The result is a building that has stayed useful for more than two and a half centuries.
What gives it away
The silhouette is the thing to notice. The tower stands taller than most, an effect of both the raised double base and the later reworking, and that height gives it a distinctive, slightly top-heavy profile against the trees. Walk around it to see how the closed lower story meets the open upper one.
From the west side you can read the stair and the enclosed base at once. The projecting balcony above marks where the bell hangs, the working heart of the whole structure.
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Q&A
- What is a shoro?
- A shoro is a bell tower that houses a temple's large bronze bell, rung to mark time and ceremonies. This one keeps its bell on an open upper story above an enclosed base.
- Why does the tower look so tall?
- It stands on a double base of stone and concrete, and later alterations in the Taisho era and in 1951 adjusted its build. Together these give it an unusually high, distinctive profile.
- Is it still in use?
- It remains part of the working temple. The precinct is open to visitors, and the tower can be viewed from the grounds near the vigil hall.
- How old is it?
- Its core dates to 1761, with documented repairs in the Taisho era and in 1951.
Basic Information
| Name | Shoro (Bell Tower), Kangi-in (歓喜院鐘楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1511 Menuma, Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registration date | May 2, 2017 |
| Registration no. | 11-0161 |
| Count | 1 structure |
| Period | 1761 (Horeki 11), altered in the Taisho era and in 1951 |
| Structure | Two-story timber bell tower on a double base of stone and concrete, irimoya (hipped-and-gabled) roof with pantiles; building area 35 m² |
| Owner | Kangi-in (religious corporation) |
| Access | About 30 min by bus from Kumagaya Station to Menuma Shoden-mae, then a short walk |
| Visiting | The precinct is open without charge; a viewing fee applies to the National Treasure Shoden hall |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database — Shoro (Bell Tower), Kangi-in
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011450
- Kumagaya City Web Museum — Kangi-in Shoden-do
- https://www.kumagaya-bunkazai.jp/museum/jousetu/syoudendou/about.htm
- Kumagaya Chamber of Commerce, Tourism — Menuma Shoden-zan
- https://kumagaya-syoukoukai.jp/%E8%A6%B3%E5%85%89%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1/%E5%A6%BB%E6%B2%BC%E8%81%96%E5%A4%A9%E5%B1%B1/
Last verified: 2026.07.02