Three Kamakura-Period Itabi
The Minamikawara Stone Stupas (南河原石塔婆) is three Kamakura-period itabi of green schist at Minamikawara, Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture, designated a Historic Site in 1928.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists them under the criterion for temple sites and other sites of worship.
The designation text notes three stones standing side by side, all fine examples of their kind.
The Stones
According to the designation text, the first is 8.3 shaku (about 2.5 metres) high and 2.1 shaku (about 64 centimetres) wide, carved with an Amida triad and dated 1261.
The second, 5.8 shaku (about 1.8 metres) high and 1.9 shaku (about 58 centimetres) wide, bears Jizo with two attendants and is dated 1265. The third, 4.5 shaku (about 1.4 metres) high and 1.5 shaku (about 45 centimetres) wide, has an inscription too worn to read.
What to Look For
Itabi, slabs of green schist carved with Buddhist images, were made in large numbers in the Kanto region from the Kamakura period. Here, large stones with an Amida triad and Jizo survive side by side with their dates.
Visiting the Minamikawara Stone Stupas
No official visitor information could be found. Take care not to damage the stones.
Enquiries go to the Gyoda City cultural properties section.
Q&A
- When were the stupas designated?
- On 7 February 1928.
- How many are there?
- Three.
- What is carved on them?
- An Amida triad, and Jizo with two attendants.
- How old are they?
- They bear dates of 1261 and 1265.
- What stone are they made of?
- Green schist.
Basic Information
| Name | Minamikawara Stone Stupas (南河原石塔婆) |
|---|---|
| Location | Minamikawara, Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Historic Site |
| Year Designated | Designated 1928/2/7 (Showa 3) |
| Quantity | 3 stones |
| Dimensions | Largest about 2.5 metres high |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No official visitor information found |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Minamikawara Stone Stupas (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/596
- Cultural Heritage Online: Minamikawara Stone Stupas (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/160838
Last verified: 2026.09.29