Multi-storied pagodas in wood and stone, and a ''gorintō''
Pagodas in Japan are called , sometimes or and historically derive from the
Chinese pagoda
A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
, itself an interpretation of the Indian ''
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
''.
Like the ''stupa'', pagodas were originally used as
reliquaries
A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', by the French term ''châsse'', and historically including '' phylacteries'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary may be called a ''fereter'', and a chapel in which it is housed a ''fe ...
but in many cases they ended up losing this function.
Pagodas are quintessentially Buddhist and an important component of
Japanese Buddhist temple compounds but, because until the
Kami and Buddhas Separation Act of 1868, a
Shinto shrine
A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion.
Overview
Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings.
The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...
was normally
also a Buddhist temple and vice versa, they are not rare at shrines either. The famous
Itsukushima Shrine
is a Shinto jinja (shrine), shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima, Hiroshima, Miyajima), best known for its "floating" ''torii'' gate.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"''Itsukushima-jinja''"in ''Japa ...
, for example, has one.
After the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
the word ''tō'', once used exclusively in a religious context, came to mean also "
tower
A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
" in the western sense, as for example in .
Of the Japanese pagoda's many forms, some are built in wood and are collectively known as , but most are carved out of stone (. Wood pagodas are large buildings with either two stories (like the , see photo below) or an odd number of stories. Extant wood pagodas with more than two storeys have almost always either three stories (and are therefore called ) or five (and are called . Stone pagodas are nearly always small, usually well below 3 metres, and as a rule offer no usable space. If they have more than one storey, pagodas are called or .
A pagoda's size is measured in ''
ken
Ken or KEN may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer.
* ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film.
* ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine.
* Ken Masters, a main character in ...
'', where a ''ken'' is the interval between two pillars of a traditional-style building. A ''
tahōtō
A is a form of Japanese pagoda found primarily at Esoteric Shingon and Tendai school Buddhist temples. It is unique among pagodas because it has an even number of stories (two). (The second story has a balustrade and seems habitable, but ...
'' for example can be either 5x5 ken or 3x3 ''ken''. The word is usually translated in English as "bay" and is better understood as an indication of proportions than as a unit of measurement.
History
![Hokiji03ds1536](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Hokiji03ds1536.jpg)
The ''stupa'' was originally a simple mound containing the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
's ashes which in time became more elaborate, while its finial grew proportionally larger.
[Jaanus, ''Tou''] After reaching China, the stupa met the Chinese watchtower and evolved into the pagoda, a tower with an odd number of storeys.
[Odd numbers are strongly favoured by Chinese ]numerology
Numerology (also known as arithmancy) is the belief in an occult, divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value, via an alphanumeric system, of the letters in ...
and Buddhism. They are supposed to represent yang
Yang may refer to:
* Yang, in yin and yang, one half of the two symbolic polarities in Chinese philosophy
* Korean yang, former unit of currency of Korea from 1892 to 1902
* YANG, a data modeling language for the NETCONF network configuration pr ...
, that is, the male and positive principle, and are therefore considered lucky. Its use then spread to Korea and, from there, to Japan. Following its arrival in Japan together with
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
in the 6th century, the pagoda became one of the focal points of the early Japanese ''
garan''.
[Temple compound, ideally composed of seven buildings.] In Japan it evolved in shape, size and function, finally losing its original role as a reliquary.
It also became extremely common, while on the Asian continent it is rare.
[Scheid, Japanische Pagoden]
With the birth of new sects in later centuries, the pagoda lost importance and was consequently relegated to the margins of the ''garan''. Temples of the
Jōdo sects rarely have a pagoda.
During the
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
the
Zen
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
sect arrived in Japan and their temples do not normally include a pagoda.
Pagodas originally were reliquaries and did not contain sacred images, but in Japan many, for example
Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery.
The temple wa ...
's five-storied pagoda, enshrine statues of various deities.
To allow the opening of a room at the ground floor and therefore create some usable space, the pagoda's central shaft, which originally reached the ground, was shortened to the upper stories, where it rested on supporting beams.
In that room are enshrined statues of the temple's main objects of worship. Inside
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
pagodas there can be paintings of deities called ; on the ceiling and on the central shaft there can be decorations and paintings.
Design and structure evolution
The edge of a pagoda's
eaves
The eaves are the edges of the roof which overhang the face of a wall and, normally, project beyond the side of a building. The eaves form an overhang to throw water clear of the walls and may be highly decorated as part of an architectural styl ...
forms a straight line, with each following edge being shorter than the other. The more difference in length (a parameter called in Japanese) between stories, the more solid and secure the pagoda seems to be. Both ''teigen'' and the
finial
A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature.
In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a d ...
are greater in older pagodas, giving them a sense of solidity.
Vice versa, recent pagodas tend to be steeper and have shorter finials, creating svelter silhouettes.
From the structural point of view, old pagodas had a over which stood the . Around it would be erected the first storey's supporting pillars, then the beams supporting the eaves and so on. The other stories would be built over the completed one, and on top of the main pillar would at last be inserted the finial.
In later eras, all of the supporting structures would be erected at once, and later to them were fixed parts of more cosmetic function.
Early pagodas had a central pillar that penetrated deep into the ground. With the evolution of architectural techniques, it was first put to rest on a base stone at ground level, then it was shortened and put to rest on beams at the second storey to allow the opening of a room.
Their role within the temple declined gradually while they were being functionally replaced by
main halls (''kondō''). Originally the centerpiece of the Shingon and Tendai ''
garan'', they were moved later to its edges and finally abandoned, in particular by the Zen sects, the last to appear in Japan.
Loss of importance of the pagoda within the garan
Because of the relics they contained, wooden pagodas used to be the centerpiece of the ''
garan'', the seven edifices considered indispensable for a temple.
[*] They gradually lost importance and were replaced by the ''
kondō
Kondō, Kondo or Kondou (近藤 "near wisteria") is a surname prominent in Japanese culture, although it also occurs in other countries. Notable people with the surname include:
* , Japanese ballet dancer
* Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist
* Kond ...
'' (golden hall), because of the magic powers believed to lie within the images the building housed. This loss of status was so complete that Zen schools, which arrived late in Japan from China, normally do not have any pagoda in their ''garan''. The layout of four early temples clearly illustrates this trend: they are in chronological order
Asuka-dera
, also known as , is a Buddhist temple in Asuka, Nara. Asuka-dera is regarded as one of the oldest temples in Japan.
Temple complex
A number of records refer to the origin of the temple, such as the '' Nihongi'' and ''Fusō-ryakuki''. The or ...
,
Shitennō-ji
Shitennō-ji ( ja, 四天王寺, ''Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings'') is a Buddhist temple in Ōsaka, Japan. It is also known as Arahaka-ji, Nanba-ji, or Mitsu-ji. The temple is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially-ad ...
,
Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery.
The temple wa ...
, and
Yakushi-ji
is one of the most famous imperial and ancient Buddhist temples in Japan, and was once one of the Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples of Nanto, located in Nara, Nara, Nara. The temple is the headquarters of the Hossō school of Japanese Buddh ...
.
In the first, the pagoda was at the very center of the ''garan'' surrounded by three small ''kondō'' (see the reconstruction of the temple's original layout). In the second, a single ''kondō'' is at the center of the temple and the pagoda lies in front of it. At Hōryū-ji, they are one next to the other. Yakushi-ji has a single, large ''kondō'' at the center with two pagodas on the sides. The same evolution can be observed in Buddhist temples in China.
Stone pagodas
![16-tier-buttou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/16-tier-buttou.jpg)
Stone pagodas (''sekitō'') are usually made of materials like
apatite
Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and chlorapatite, with high concentrations of OH−, F− and Cl− ions, respectively, in the crystal. The formula of the admixture of the three most common e ...
or
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
, are much smaller than wooden ones and are finely carved.
Often they bear
sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
inscriptions, Buddhist figurines and Japanese lunar calendar dates ''
nengō
The , also known as , is the first of the two elements that identify years in the Japanese era calendar scheme. The second element is a number which indicates the year number within the era (with the first year being ""), followed by the literal ...
''. Like wooden ones, they are mostly classifiable on the basis of the number of stories as ''tasōtō'' or ''hōtō'', but there are however some styles hardly ever seen in wood, namely the ''gorintō'', the ''muhōtō'', the ''hōkyōintō'' and the ''kasatōba''.
[JAANUS, ''Sekitou'']
''Tasōtō'' or ''tajūtō''
With a few very rare exceptions, ''tasōtō'' (also called ''tajūtō'', 多層塔) have an odd number of stories, normally comprised between three and thirteen.
[JAANUS, ''Tasoutou''] They are usually less than three meters tall, but they can occasionally be much taller. The tallest still extant is a 13-storey pagoda at Hannya-ji in
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
, which is 14.12 m. They are often dedicated to Buddha and offer no usable room, but some have a small space inside which holds a sacred image.
In the oldest extant specimen, while the edge of each storey are parallel to the ground, each successive storey is smaller than the next, resulting in a strongly slanted curve. More modern ''tasōtō'' tend to have a less pronounced curve.
*
''Hōtō''
![Houtou - Ankokuron-ji](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Houtou_-_Ankokuron-ji.jpg)
A is a pagoda consisting of four parts: a low foundation stone, a cylindrical body with a rounded top, a four-sided roof and a
finial
A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature.
In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a d ...
.
Unlike the similar ''tahōtō'' (see section below) it has no enclosed pent roof (''
mokoshi
In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there being ...
'') around its circular core.
Like the ''tahōtō'' it takes its name from Buddhist deity
Tahō Nyorai. The ''hōtō'' was born during the early
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
, when the
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
and
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
sects first arrived in Japan. Indeed, because it does not exist on the Asian continent, it is believed to have been invented in Japan.
There used to exist full-size ''hōtō'', but almost only miniature ones survive, normally made of stone and/or metal.
[JAANUS, ''Houtou'']
*
''Gorintō''
'
![Mimizuka-M1773 corrected](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Mimizuka-M1773_corrected.jpg)
The is a pagoda found almost only in Japan and believed to have been first adopted by the
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
and
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
sects during the mid
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
.
[JAANUS - ''Gorintou''] It is used as a tomb marker or as a cenotaph, and is therefore a common sight in Buddhist temples and cemeteries. It is also called ("five-ringed stupa") or , where the term ''sotoba'' is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
.
In all its variations, the ''gorintō'' is made of five blocks (although that number can sometimes be difficult to detect), each having one of the five shapes which symbolize of the
Five Elements believed to be the basic building blocks of reality: earth (cube), water (sphere), fire (pyramid), air (crescent), and ether, energy, or void (lotus).
The last two rings (air and ether) are visually and conceptually united into a single subgroup.
*
''Hōkyōintō''
![Jikoji hokyointo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Jikoji_hokyointo.JPG)
The is a large stone pagoda so called because it originally contained the
sūtra
''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aph ...
.
[Iwanami Kōjien Japanese dictionary] It was originally used as a cenotaph for the King of
Wuyue
Wuyue (; ), 907–978, was an independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960) of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Haiyan Qian clan (海盐钱氏), whose family name remains widespread in t ...
-
in China.
The ''hōkyōintō'' tradition in Japan is believed to have begun during the
Asuka period
The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after t ...
(550–710 CE).
They used to be made of wood and started to be made in stone only during the Kamakura period.
It is also during this period that they started to be used as tombstones and cenotaphs.
The ''hōkyōintō'' started to be made in its present form during the
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
.
Like a ''gorintō'', it is divided in five main sections representing the five elements of Japanese cosmology.
The sūtra it sometimes hides contain all the pious deeds of a
Tathagata Buddha, and the faithful believe that, by praying in front of the ''hōkyōintō'', their sins will be canceled, during their lives they will be protected from disasters and after death they will go to heaven.
[Yatsushiro Municipal Museum]
*
''Muhōtō'' or ''rantō''
![Engakuji Muhōtō](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Engakuji_Muh%C5%8Dt%C5%8D.jpg)
The or is a pagoda which usually marks the gravesite of a Buddhist priest. It was originally used by just the Zen schools, but it was later adopted by the others too.
[JAANUS - ''Muhoutou''] Its characteristic egg-shaped upper portion is supposed to be a
phallic symbol
A phallus is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history a figure with an erect penis is described as ithyphallic.
Any object that symbolically—or, more precisely ...
.
*
''Kasatōba''
A (see photo in the gallery below) is simply a square stone post placed over a square base and covered by a pyramidal roof. Over the roof stand a bowl-shaped stone and a lotus-shaped stone. The shaft can be carved with Sanskrit words or low-relief images of Buddhist gods. Within the shaft there can be stone wheels which allow the faithful to turn the stupa around while praying as with a
prayer wheel
A prayer wheel is a cylindrical wheel () on a spindle made from metal, wood, stone, leather, or coarse cotton, widely used in Tibet and areas where Tibetan culture is predominant.
Traditionally, a mantra is written in Ranjana script or Tibeta ...
.
[JAANUS - Kasatouba]
*
''Sōrintō''
The is a type of small pagoda consisting just of a pole and a ''
sōrin
The two types of pagoda finial (''sōrin''), in bronze
(''tahōtō'') and stone (''hōkyōintō'')
The is the vertical shaft ( finial) which tops a Japanese pagoda, whether made of stone or wood.Pagodas can be made of wood or stone, and the ...
''.
Wooden pagodas
''Tasōtō''
![Yakushiji Nara11s5bs4200](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Yakushiji_Nara11s5bs4200.jpg)
Wooden ''tasōtō'' are pagodas with an odd number of stories. Some may appear to have an even number because of the presence between stories of purely decorative enclosed pent roofs called ''
mokoshi
In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there being ...
''
[Besides being decorative in themselves,they are also used also to hide structural components which would otherwise mar the pagoda's feel.] A famous example is
Yakushi-ji
is one of the most famous imperial and ancient Buddhist temples in Japan, and was once one of the Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples of Nanto, located in Nara, Nara, Nara. The temple is the headquarters of the Hossō school of Japanese Buddh ...
's eastern pagoda (see photo to the left), which seems to have six stories but has in fact only three. Another is the ''tahōtō'' (see below), which has a single storey, plus a ''mokoshi'' under its roof, and seems therefore to have two stories.
[On the subject, see also the articles '']Hisashi
Hisashi is a masculine Japanese given name. Its meaning differs depending on the kanji used to write it.
Kanji
Single kanji used to write the name Hisashi include:
*: "long time"
*: "eternal"
*: "still"
*: "standard"
*: "complete"
*: "long"
*: "li ...
'', Mokoshi
In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there being ...
and Moya. There existed specimen with seven or nine stories, but all extant ones have either three (and are therefore called ) or five (and are called .
(Tanzan Jinja in Sakurai,
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
, has a pagoda having thirteen, which however for structural reasons is classified separately, and is not considered a ''tasōtō''.)
The oldest three-storied pagoda stands at Nara's
Hokki-ji
– formerly known as and – is a Buddhist temple in Okamoto, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple's honorary '' sangō'' prefix is , although it is rarely used.
The temple was constructed to honor Avalokitesvara, and an 11-faced st ...
and was built between 685 and 706.
The oldest extant five-storied pagoda belongs to
Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery.
The temple wa ...
and was built some time during the
Asuka period
The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after t ...
(538 -710). The tallest wooden ''tasōtō'' belongs to
Tō-ji
, also known as is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan.
Founded in 796, it was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As such it has a long history, ho ...
, Kyoto. It has five stories and is 54 m tall.
*
''Hōtō''
![Yaakuouji houtou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Yaakuouji_houtou.jpg)
A wooden ''hōtō'' is a rare type of pagoda consisting of four parts: a low foundation stone, a cylindrical body with a rounded top, a pyramidal roof and a
finial
A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature.
In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a d ...
.
Unlike the similar ''tahōtō'' (see section below) it has no square enclosed pent roof (''
mokoshi
In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there being ...
'') around its cylindrical core.
Like the ''tahōtō'' it takes its name from Buddhist deity
Tahō Nyorai. The ''hōtō'' was born during the early
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
, when the
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
and
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
Buddhist sects first arrived in Japan.
There used to be many full-size ''hōtō'', but almost only miniature ones survive, normally made of stone and/or metal. A good example of full-size ''hōtō'' can be seen at
Ikegami Honmon-ji
is a temple of the Nichiren Shū south of Tokyo, erected where Nichiren is said to have died. Also Nichiren's disciple
Nikkō spent the rest of his life at this temple. The temple grounds also include Nichiren Shū's administrative headqu ...
in
Nishi-magome,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. The pagoda is 17.4 meter tall and 5.7 meter wide.
*
''Tahōtō''
![Negoroji03s3200](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Negoroji03s3200.jpg)
The ''tahōtō'' is a type of wooden pagoda unique for having an even number of stories (two), the first square with a rounded core, the second circular. This style of ''tō'' was created surrounding the cylindrical base of a ''hōtō'' (see above) with a square, roofed corridor called ''
mokoshi
In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there being ...
''.
[For reasons of space, however, the wall separating the ''mokoshi'' from the core of the pagoda is present only in large ''tahōtō'' called ''daitō'' (see the next section).] The core of the pagoda has just one storey with its ceiling below the circular second storey, which is inaccessible. Like the ''tasōtō'' and the ''
rōmon
The is one of two types of two-storied gate used in Japan (the other one being the ''nijūmon'', see photo in the gallery below). Even though it was originally developed by Buddhist architecture, it is now used at both Buddhist temples and Shin ...
'', in spite of its appearance it therefore offers usable space only at the ground floor.
Because its kind does not exist either in Korea or in China, it is believed to have been invented in Japan during the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
(794 - 1185). The ''tahōtō'' was important enough to be considered one of the seven indispensable buildings (the so-called ''
shichidō garan
''Shichidō garan'' is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed of , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning "temple". The term is often shortened to ...
'') of a
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
temple.
[JAANUS, Daitou] Kūkai
Kūkai (; 27 July 774 – 22 April 835Kūkai was born in 774, the 5th year of the Hōki era; his exact date of birth was designated as the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the Japanese lunar calendar, some 400 years later, by the Shingon sec ...
himself is responsible for the construction of the ''tahōto'' at
Mount Kōya
is a large temple settlement in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan to the south of Osaka. In the strictest sense, ''Mount Kōya'' is the mountain name ( sangō) of Kongōbu-ji Temple, the ecclesiastical headquarters of the Kōyasan sect of Shingon Budd ...
's
Kongōbu-ji
is the ecclesiastic head temple of Koyasan, Kōyasan Shingon Buddhism, located on , Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Its name means ''Temple of the Diamond Mountain Peak''. It is part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Ra ...
.
''Daitō''
![Negoroji-daitou-flooplan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Negoroji-daitou-flooplan.svg)
Usually the base of a ''tahōtō'' is 3-''
ken
Ken or KEN may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer.
* ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film.
* ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine.
* Ken Masters, a main character in ...
'' across with four main, supporting pillars called at the corners (see drawing).
The room the ''shitenbashira'' form houses a sanctuary where the main objects of worship (the ''
gohonzon
is a generic term for a venerated religious object in Japanese Buddhism. It may take the form of a scroll or statuary. The term typically refers to the mainstream use of venerated objects within Nichiren Buddhism, referring to the calligr ...
'') are enshrined.
Larger, 5x5 ''ken'' ''tahōtō'' however exist and are called because of their dimensions. This is the only type of ''tahōtō'' to retain the original structure with a wall separating the corridor (''mokoshi'') from the core of the structure. This type of pagoda used to be common but, of all ''daitō'' ever built, only three are still extant. One is at
Wakayama prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
's
Negoro-ji
is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Iwade, Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. Surrounded by the sacred peaks of the Katsuragi Mountains, the temple grounds were designated as a National Historic Site and a National Pla ...
, another at
Kongōbu-ji
is the ecclesiastic head temple of Koyasan, Kōyasan Shingon Buddhism, located on , Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Its name means ''Temple of the Diamond Mountain Peak''. It is part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Ra ...
, again in Wakayama, and the last at Kirihata-dera,
Tokushima prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
.
The ''daitō'' at Kongōbu-ji was founded by
Shingon sect's
Kūkai
Kūkai (; 27 July 774 – 22 April 835Kūkai was born in 774, the 5th year of the Hōki era; his exact date of birth was designated as the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the Japanese lunar calendar, some 400 years later, by the Shingon sec ...
. The specimen found at Negoro-ji (see photo above) is 30.85 meters tall and a
National Treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the fundame ...
.
*
*
''Sotōba''
Often offertory strips of wood with five subdivisions and covered with elaborate inscriptions called can be found at tombs in Japanese cemeteries (see photo in the gallery below).
The inscriptions contain
sūtra
''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aph ...
and the posthumous name of the dead person. Their name derives from the Sanskrit
stūpa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumambu ...
, and they can be also considered pagodas.
*
Gallery of pagodas in Japan
File:Hokokubyou 17.jpg, A ''gorintō''
File:Mizumadera hokyointo.jpg, A ''hōkyōintō''
File:Ashikaga Mochiujis Houtou.jpg, A ''hōtō''
File:Ankokuronji-Garden.jpg, A stone ''tasōtō''
File:Hannyaji Stone Kasatoba.jpg, Two ''kasatōba'' at Hannya-ji, Nara
File:Ichijoji Kasai13bs4272.jpg, Ichijō-ji
is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in Kasai, Hyōgo, Japan.
It was first established in 650 at Emperor Kōtoku's request, and the temple complex and buildings have undergone several periods of destruction and reconstruction since its ...
's ''sanjū-no-tō'' (three storied pagoda). It was built in 1171.
File:Murou-ji 4.jpg, Murō-ji's ''gojū-no-tō'' (five storied pagoda). It was built in 800.
File:20100723 Miyajima Itsukushima 5140.jpg, A pagoda at a Shinto shrine, Itsukushima Shrine
File:Sotoba.jpg, A ''sotōba''. Clearly visible is the division in five sections
File:Hitsujisaki_jinja_Sourintou.JPG, A ''sorintō''
See also
*
Shinbashira The shinbashira (心柱, also 真柱 or 刹/擦 ''satsu'') refers to a central pillar at the core of a pagoda or similar structure. The shinbashira has long been thought to be the key to the Japanese pagoda's notable earthquake resistance, when n ...
, the suspended wooden column inside.
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version
*
*
*
Shinkō no Katachi - Hōkyōintō Yatsushiro Municipal Museum, accessed on September 18, 2008 (in Japanese)
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Shinto shrines
Japanese architectural history
Japanese Buddhist architecture