A Stone Memorial Pagoda of 1323
The Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda (光福寺宝篋印塔, Kōfuku-ji hōkyōintō) is a stone hokyoin-style memorial pagoda dated 1323 at Kofukuji in Oka, Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property (structure) on August 29, 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records one stone pagoda of the late Kamakura period, designation number 01229, owned by Kofukuji. According to Higashimatsuyama City it is about 2.1 metres tall and is kept in a storehouse in the temple grounds.
A Pagoda Raised for the Dead
Hokyointo are a kind of memorial pagoda that began to be made around the middle of the Kamakura period (Higashimatsuyama City).
Higashimatsuyama City notes that the front of the body is carved with the words "hokyointo" and the back of the base with the reason it was made: in 1323, for the repose of Fujiwara no Mitsusada (藤原光貞) and a nun named Myomyo (妙明). Who these two were is not yet known. The Higashimatsuyama Tourism Association names the maker as a novice monk (沙彌閣阿).
Why It Was Designated
The Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1953. Higashimatsuyama City describes it as beautifully proportioned.
By the late Kamakura period, hokyointo had developed regional forms known as the Kansai type and the Kanto type. This one has a Kanto-type roof and body, but its lack of a plinth and the shape of its base are Kansai traits, so it combines the two (Higashimatsuyama City).
What to Look For
Look for the word "hokyointo" carved on the front of the body and the dedication on the back of the base (Higashimatsuyama City). As a dated Kamakura pagoda, it is a useful reference for the regional differences in form.
Higashimatsuyama City adds that the same storehouse holds a stone slab stupa of 1306 engraved with the Amida triad, a Saitama Prefecture designated cultural property.
Visiting
The Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda is kept in a storehouse in the temple grounds (Higashimatsuyama City). No information on opening the storehouse has been published, so ask before visiting: the Higashimatsuyama City Archaeological Center handles enquiries (0493-27-0333).
The address is 498 Oka, Higashimatsuyama City. The Higashimatsuyama Tourism Association gives the route as the bus toward Kumagaya from the east exit of Higashimatsuyama Station to Higashimatsuyama Byoin-mae, then about 3 minutes on foot.
Q&A
- When was the Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda made?
- In 1323, as the inscription on the back of the base shows (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Higashimatsuyama City).
- Who was the Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda made for?
- According to the inscription, for Fujiwara no Mitsusada and the nun Myomyo, whose identities are unknown (Higashimatsuyama City).
- How tall is the Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda?
- About 2.1 metres (Higashimatsuyama City).
- What is distinctive about the Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda's form?
- It mixes Kanto-type features in the roof and body with Kansai-type features in the base (Higashimatsuyama City).
- Where can I see the Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda?
- It is kept in a storehouse at Kofukuji; check viewing arrangements with the Higashimatsuyama City Archaeological Center (0493-27-0333).
Basic Information
| Name | Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda (光福寺宝篋印塔) |
|---|---|
| Location | 498 Oka, Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture (Kofukuji) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1953/08/29 (Showa 28) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone hokyoin pagoda, about 2.1 metres high |
| Owner | Kofukuji |
| Public Access | Kept in a storehouse in the temple grounds (ask about viewing) |
References
- Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/452
- Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda (Higashimatsuyama City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.higashimatsuyama.lg.jp/soshiki/55/3704.html
- Stone slab stupa at Kofukuji (Higashimatsuyama City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.higashimatsuyama.lg.jp/soshiki/55/3741.html
- Kofukuji Hokyoin Pagoda (Higashimatsuyama Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://higashimatsuyama-kanko.com/sightseeing/see/historical/%E5%85%89%E7%A6%8F%E5%AF%BA%E3%81%AE%E5%AE%9D%E7%AF%8B%E5%8D%B0%E5%A1%94/
Last verified: 2026.10.14