Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda
The Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda (石塔寺宝塔) is a late Kamakura-period stone hōtō on the grounds of Ishidoji Temple in Ishido-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture; it bears an inscription dated the tenth month of 1302 and was designated an Important Cultural Property on 9 February 1960. It stands east of the temple's great stone three-storied pagoda, beside a pair of five-ring pagodas.
A hōtō is a single-story Buddhist tower: a cylindrical body under a square roof, crowned by a Sōrin finial. Stone versions were made across Japan from the Heian period through the Edo period, often as memorial monuments.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the Ishidō-ji hōtō as a stone hōtō of the late Kamakura period, dated Shōan 4. Of the temple's three Important Cultural Properties, it is the oldest to carry a carved date.
Why the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda Matters: A Date and a Carver's Name
The heart of its value is the inscription on the base. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the words "Shōan 4, tenth month," which fix the monument to 1302. Many medieval stone monuments carry no date at all, so their age has to be judged from their shape. A dated piece becomes a yardstick for the undated hōtō of the same region.
Descriptions of the inscription also mention the words daiganshu, the patron who vowed to raise it, and ajari, a title for a Tendai or Shingon priest. Together they suggest a donor and a monk stood behind the work.
Then there is the carver. The town of Kora says the stone hōtō at Saimyōji, another temple in eastern Shiga, is inscribed with the year 1304 and the name of the master mason Taira no Kageyoshi. One private guide to stone monuments states that the same name appears on the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda; if so, the same mason made both hōtō two years apart. We could not confirm the name in any public record for the Ishidō-ji piece, so it is reported here only as that guide's claim.
What to Look For at the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda
According to a private guide to stone monuments, the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda is carved from granite and stands about 1.64 meters high. Next to the 7.5-meter pagoda it looks small, but every part is worked to imitate timber architecture.
Start at the top. The sorin is a later replacement and has lost its upper section. On the roof, ridges run down from the peak to the corners, and the underside of the eaves is carved to show rafters, a wooden roof translated into stone.
The cylindrical body is carved with door shapes on all four sides, with a railing pattern above them. It reads as a tiny hall with an entrance on every side.
The base is built in the danjōzumi style, with Kōzama panels on three of its four faces, each framing a lotus in full bloom carved in relief. The dated inscription is on this base as well. Its fine lines are easiest to find when the light rakes across the stone.
Visiting the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda
The Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda stands on the hilltop terrace at the top of the stone steps behind the main hall. Walk from the front of the three-storied pagoda around to its east side, and the hōtō appears beside the two five-ring pagodas. It is outdoors and can be seen during the temple's opening hours.
Please do not touch the monument or step on its base. Small stone monuments crowd the ground around it, so watch your footing. We could not find official guidance on photography; ask at reception if in doubt. Directions and admission details are on the Ishidoji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda made?
- Its base carries an inscription dated the tenth month of Shōan 4, which corresponds to 1302. It is a late Kamakura-period stone monument and was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1960.
- What kind of monument is the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda?
- A hōtō is a single-story Buddhist tower with a cylindrical body, a square roof and a finial. This one is described as granite, with door shapes on the body and lotus-filled kozama panels on the base.
- How big is the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda?
- A private guide to stone monuments gives its height as about 1.64 meters. The finial is a later replacement and its upper part is missing.
- Where is the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda within the temple grounds?
- On the hilltop terrace above the main hall. Two five-ring pagodas stand on the east side of the stone three-storied pagoda, and the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda stands beside them.
- Is there a fee to see the Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda?
- Yes, the temple admission of 400 yen for adults and 100 yen for children. The temple is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the hōtō can be seen outdoors during those hours.
Basic Information
| Name | Ishidoji Temple Hoto Pagoda |
|---|---|
| Location | Ishido-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture (Ishidoji Temple grounds) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1960 |
| Quantity | 1 |
| Dimensions | Height about 1.64 meters (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 Hoto Pagoda
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1480
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Saimyoji Hoto Pagoda
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1513
- Kora Town: Saimyoji Hoto Pagoda
- https://www.kouratown.jp/cyonososhiki/kyoikuiinnkai/syakaikyoikuka/syogaigakusyukakari/korachosyokai/bunkazai/bunkazaiichiran/juyobunkazai/kenzobutsu/1386237763931.html
- 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
