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Saihōji Temple bonshō (temple bell), donated by Sukesada
Saihōji Temple bonshō (temple bell), donated by Sukesada
Municipally Designated Important Cultural Property (designated by Setouchi City in 2004)
Made: Made in Eitoku 4 (1384)
Location: Saihōji Jigen’in Temple, Osafune, Osafune
Dimensions: Height: 93.9cｍ Width: 53.9cm
Saihōji Jigen’in, once the family temple for the swordsmiths of Osafune, was gifted its temple bell in 1887 by Yokoyama Motonoshin Sukesada, the last swordsmith of the Osafune School, in honor of his ancestors.
The bell was originally made in 1384 to be placed at Tsukushinomiya Shrine in Chikuzen Province (now Fukuoka Prefecture). After being moved to various locations, it was eventually acquired by Sukesada. There are four inscriptions engraved on the bell’s exterior and interior that tell its story up until its placement at the temple. While the bell itself has little relationship to the temple, it is an important window onto Sukesada’s life in Osafune.
