A skirted bell tower at the entrance to the main area
The Minobusan Kuonji Jishoro Time Bell Tower (身延山久遠寺時鐘楼, Jishōrō) is a small bell tower of 1952 at the entrance to the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji in Minobu, Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
Its name means a tower whose bell marks the hours. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a footprint of just 9.9 square metres, renovated in 2013.
The zodiac around the balcony
The Minobusan Kuonji Jishoro is 1 bay square. Its base is wrapped in a hakamagoshi, a flared skirt named after the pleated trousers of formal dress, and its hip-and-gable roof of standard pantiles runs north to south.
Above the skirt, a balcony with a railing topped by onion-shaped finials circles the tower on 3-stepped brackets. Between the bracket sets sit carvings of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.
The upper columns are round and tapered at the top, tied by a curved head beam and capped by a continuous plate that carries single-stepped bracket sets, both on and between the columns. The agency notes the tall proportions of the whole and says the tower gives order to the view at the entrance to the main area.
What to look for, and visiting
The detail to find on the Minobusan Kuonji Jishoro Time Bell Tower is under the balcony. Walk around it and pick out the zodiac animals one by one between the brackets.
The temple website gives no information on access to the upper level. Photography outdoors is unrestricted, and the tall silhouette is easier to frame from a few steps back. Hours and directions for the temple are on the Minobusan Kuonji page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Minobusan Kuonji Jishoro Time Bell Tower?
- At the entrance to the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji.
- What does the name of the Jishoro mean?
- It means a tower whose bell marks the time; the full name is Minobusan Kuonji Jishoro.
- When was the Jishoro built?
- In 1952; it was renovated in 2013.
- What carvings decorate the Jishoro?
- Carvings of the 12 zodiac animals fill the spaces between the brackets under the balcony.
- When was the Jishoro registered as a cultural property?
- On 2018/05/10.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Jishoro Time Bell Tower (身延山久遠寺時鐘楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4252 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 19-125 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof; footprint 9.9 square metres; 1 bay square |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior only (grounds free; outdoor photography allowed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Jishoro Time Bell Tower
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012349
- Minobusan Kuonji official site — Guide to the grounds (Japanese)
- https://www.kuonji.jp/precincts/
- Minobusan Kuonji official site — FAQ (Japanese)
- https://www.kuonji.jp/faq/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
