Shoro Bell Tower
This bell tower stands near the entrance to the temple gardens. The large bronze bell within is struck with a suspended wooden beam and its sound can be heard throughout the surrounding town. The bell is struck in the morning and evening to mark the start and end of the day. Before modern alert systems, the bell played an important role in the community, and would be sounded to warn of impending disasters such as typhoons and floods. In a New Year’s Eve ceremony known as Joya no Kane, worshippers take turns to strike the bell in the run-up to midnight. The bell is struck 108 times to rid humanity of the 108 earthly temptations or vices, such as arrogance, cruelty, and greed. The ceremony is performed at temples throughout Japan.
The Shoro Bell Tower was first built in 1761, the year after the main hall was completed. A stone-and-concrete platform was added to raise the tower higher during the Taisho era (1912–1926). The bell tower is a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property.