A Concrete Ossuary Crowned by a Copper Tower
The Gokokuji Temple Ossuary (護國寺納骨堂) is a reinforced-concrete ossuary of 1921 in Kamitanaka-machi, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 24, 2013 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey reinforced-concrete building of 8.4 square metres with a copper memorial tower, altered around 1931; registration number 35-0075.
The temple’s history includes a photograph captioned as a record of the ossuary’s completion in 1921, confirming the date of the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary (Gokokuji).
A Copper Memorial Tower on a Flat Roof
The Gokokuji Temple Ossuary is a square building 2.9 metres on each side in the southern part of the precinct, enlarged to its present size in the early Showa period (Agency for Cultural Affairs). On its flat roof sits a 2-stage pedestal, square below and round above, carrying a cylindrical copper memorial tower. From the ground to the top of the tower it measures 5.6 metres.
The walls are rendered in mortar scored with decorative joint lines, and the corner posts and the frame of the rear doorway are picked out in relief (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary on December 24, 2013, for its contribution to the historic landscape. It covers only 8.4 square metres, but it is a temple ossuary built in reinforced concrete in the Taisho period, and its copper-crowned silhouette stands out in the precinct.
Completed in 1921, Enlarged in the Early Showa Period
The Agency dates the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary to 1921, with alterations around 1931. The temple’s history records the main hall of 1929 and new priests’ quarters of September 1931, after which the precinct looked much as it does today (Gokokuji). The enlargement of the ossuary falls in the same period of rebuilding.
Neither the Agency’s description nor the temple’s history says what the memorial tower commemorates.
What to Look For
From the front, the stepped pedestal rising off the flat roof and the copper cylinder above read as one composition. The scored joint lines in the mortar and the corner posts in relief show best close up (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
At the back of the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary, the doorway is framed in the same way, a sign of how carefully even this small building was finished on every side.
Visiting
The Gokokuji Temple Ossuary holds the remains of the dead. No official information on interior access or photography was found, so when you look at the exterior, take care not to disturb people visiting to pray. Directions to the precinct are on the Gokokuji Temple (Shimonoseki) page.
Q&A
- When was the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary built?
- In 1921, with alterations around 1931 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is the tower on top of the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary?
- A cylindrical copper memorial tower set on a 2-stage pedestal, square below and round above (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary?
- It is 2.9 metres square, with a building area of 8.4 square metres and an overall height of 5.6 metres including the tower (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary in the precinct?
- In the southern part of the precinct, south of the Seishoko Hall, which itself stands south of the main hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Gokokuji Temple Ossuary registered?
- On December 24, 2013 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Gokokuji Temple Ossuary (護國寺納骨堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-15-7 Kamitanaka-machi and other lots, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/12/24 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey reinforced concrete, building area 8.4 m², copper memorial tower, overall height 5.6 m |
| Owner | Gokokuji Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | No official information on interior access |
References
- Gokokuji Temple Ossuary (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009831
- Gokokuji Temple Ossuary (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/279400
- History of Gokokuji (Gokokuji, Japanese)
- https://krmt.biz/gokokuji/enkaku.html
Last verified: 2026.11.08
