Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas
The Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas (石塔寺五輪塔) are two stone gorintō on the grounds of Ishidoji Temple in Ishido-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture, inscribed with the years 1304 and 1349 and designated together as an Important Cultural Property on 9 February 1960. They stand on the temple's hilltop terrace, east of the great stone three-storied pagoda and beside a stone hōtō.
A five-ring pagoda, or gorintō, is built from five stacked stones: a square base for earth, a sphere for water, a roof-shaped block for fire, a half-moon for wind and a jewel-shaped top for the void. The form took shape in Japan and spread in the medieval period as a memorial and grave marker.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists the pair as two entries. Number one is late Kamakura, dated Kagen 2 (1304); number two is early Muromachi, dated Jōwa 5 (1349). Its note explains that of the two standing side by side, the left carries the 1304 date and the right the 1349 date.
Why the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas Matter: Two Dates, 45 Years Apart
Each of the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas is dated, and the dates are 45 years apart. The year 1304 falls in the last decades of the Kamakura shogunate; 1349 falls in the turmoil of the Northern and Southern Courts, and Jōwa was an era name used by the Northern Court. Standing side by side, the two let you follow how the shape of a stone memorial changed across that break, with securely dated examples rather than guesses.
The inscriptions say more than the year. According to a private guide to stone monuments, the northern pagoda (left, seen from the front) has "Kagen 2, ninth month, fifth day" on the west face of its base, and the southern one (right) has "Jōwa 5, eighth month, twenty-ninth day" on the north face, followed by words naming the "Nijūgo Zanmai fellowship of Ōmori." The Nijūgo Zanmai-e were associations devoted to nembutsu chanting; if the reading is right, people from nearby Ōmori raised the second pagoda together.
Most of the tens of thousands of small five-ring pagodas crowding the hill bear no date at all. Against that anonymous mass, these two record when, and in one case by whom, offerings were being made on this hill.
What to Look For at the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas
The same private guide gives their heights as about 1.29 meters for the northern pagoda and about 1.38 meters for the southern, both of granite. They reach only to chest height beside the 7.5-meter three-storied pagoda, but they are clearly larger and crisper in outline than the small gorintō around them.
Look at the proportions of the five stones. The swell of the water sphere, the thickness and lift of the fire stone's eaves and the point of the jewel at the top are the features that changed over time. Walk between the two and see where the 45 years show.
The inscriptions are on the sides of the square bases, the west face on the northern pagoda and the north face on the southern one, so they cannot be seen from the front. Circle the pagodas and look for a face catching raking light, where the carved lines are easiest to pick out.
Visiting the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas
The Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas stand on the hilltop terrace above the main hall, on the east side of the three-storied pagoda. They are outdoors and can be seen during the temple's opening hours; there is no interior to visit.
When you step around to find the inscriptions, take care not to tread on or knock over the small stone monuments packed around them, and do not touch the pagodas themselves. We could not find official guidance on photography, so ask at reception if in doubt. Directions and admission details are on the Ishidoji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When were the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas made?
- There are two. One is inscribed 1304 (Kagen 2) and the other 1349 (Jōwa 5), spanning the end of the Kamakura period and the era of the Northern and Southern Courts. They were designated together as an Important Cultural Property in 1960.
- What is a five-ring pagoda like the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas?
- It is a stone monument of five stacked stones, square, round, roof-shaped, half-moon and jewel-shaped, standing for earth, water, fire, wind and void. Such pagodas were raised across Japan in the medieval period as memorials and grave markers.
- What do the inscriptions on the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas say?
- Each gives a date. According to a private guide, the 1349 pagoda also names the "Nijūgo Zanmai fellowship of Ōmori," which would mean it was raised by a nembutsu association from the nearby Ōmori area.
- Where are the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas within the grounds?
- On the hilltop terrace above the main hall. The two stand on the east side of the stone three-storied pagoda, with a stone hōtō beside them.
- Can I see the Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas, and is there a fee?
- Yes. They are outdoors and visible between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., the temple's opening hours. The temple admission is 400 yen for adults and 100 yen for children.
Basic Information
| Name | Ishidoji Temple Five-Ring Pagodas |
|---|---|
| Location | Ishido-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture (Ishidoji Temple grounds) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1960 |
| Quantity | 2 |
| Dimensions | Height about 1.29 meters (north) and about 1.38 meters (south), per a private guide |
| Owner | Ishidoji Temple |
| Public Access | Outdoors; viewable during opening hours (admission fee required) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Ishidoji Five-Ring Pagodas (1)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1481
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Ishidoji Five-Ring Pagodas (2)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1482
- Biwako Visitors Bureau (official Shiga tourism site): Ishidoji Temple
- https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/536/
- Japan Stone Center, Ohaka Kiwame: Important Cultural Properties of Shiga, Part 5
- https://ohakakiwame.jp/column/memorial-service/cultural-property-shiga-part5.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
Cultural Treasures in the Same Area
All are within walking distance in the same area, so we recommend visiting them together.
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