At Menuma Shodenzan: Bell Tower
The Kangiin Bell Tower (歓喜院鐘楼) is a bell tower built in 1761 at Menuma Shodenzan Kangiin Temple in Menuma, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 May 2017.
The Kangiin Bell Tower stands west of the Komorido hall. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a 2-storey timber structure, tiled roof, building area 35 square meters.
It stands on a two-tier base of stone and concrete under an Irimoya-zukuri hipped-and-gabled roof of pantiles, and was altered in the Taisho era and again in 1951.
Why It Was Registered
The Kangiin Bell Tower carries registration number 11-0161 and was registered on the same day as the other eight structures in the precinct, under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that later alterations have given it an unusually tall, distinctive appearance. A mid-Edo bell tower overlaid with modern repairs has become a shape found nowhere else.
What to Look For
A Boarded Lower Storey
The lower storey is closed on all four sides with horizontal boarding between the posts, with a stair up to the bell floor on the west side.
An Open Bell Floor
The upper storey is open, with a veranda projecting all round. Raised on a double base and a boarded lower storey, the whole structure reads as tall.
Visiting
The Kangiin Bell Tower can be seen from the precinct, which is always open and free. Do not climb the stair; view it from outside.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saitama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kangiin Bell Tower
- [ Kawagoe Little Edo & Moominvalley Park ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Kangiin Bell Tower?
- The Kangiin Bell Tower can be seen from the precinct, which is always open and free. Do not climb the stair; view it from outside.
- When was the Kangiin Bell Tower built and registered?
- A bell tower built in 1761, registered on 2 May 2017 as number 11-0161.
- How is the Kangiin Bell Tower built?
- 2-storey timber structure, tiled roof, building area 35 square meters.
- Why does the Kangiin Bell Tower look so tall?
- It sits on a double base of stone and concrete with a boarded lower storey beneath the open bell floor; the Agency notes that later alterations produced its tall, unusual form.
- Has the Kangiin Bell Tower been altered?
- Yes, in the Taisho era and in 1951.
Basic Information
| Name | Kangiin Bell Tower (歓喜院鐘楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1511 Menuma, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/5/2 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey timber structure, tiled roof, building area 35 square meters |
| Owner | Kangiin (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Precinct always open and free (exterior viewing) |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Kangiin Bell Tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011450
- Cultural Heritage Online, Kangiin Bell Tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/274722
- Tourism Resources of Kumagaya (Saitama Prefecture)
- https://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/soshiki/b0110/hokubutiikinogaiyou/gunmadc-kankousozai-kumagaya.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
