Location: 2143-1 Dotocho, Naka Ward, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture

Doto Pagoda, Osaka

When it comes to Japanese pagodas Many people probably think of the familiar five-story pagoda that can be seen in temples. But the Doto Pagoda of Onodera Temple is a pyramid-shaped pagoda built from the ground. More than a thousand years old Which is assumed to be built around AD. 700 and is believed to have been inspired by the Borobudur stupa in Indonesia. that was built in the same pyramid shape. Pagoda is in a pyramid shape, and the top is cut-off. It is the only of his kind in all of Japan. Furthermore, in 1953 the government registered it as a National Historic Site. Archaeologists had plenty of researchers in the area and found many artifacts.

The Doto Pagoda is 53.1 meters high. Each tier of the pagoda is covered with Japanese glazed tiles. which is expected to have the number of tiles used up to sixty thousand sheets In the past, tiles with inscriptions of the co-creators of this pagoda were also discovered. which has both monks and general villagers by now The Doto Pagoda is registered as one of Japan’s historic sites. And there is another pagoda with similar characteristics. is the Zuto Pagoda in Nara, built around the same time

About Pagoda

The earthen pagoda is a pagoda of Ono-ji Temple, one of the 49 temples said to have been built by Gyoki, a monk from Sakai during the Nara period. According to the Heian Period Gyoki Nenpu, construction began in the 4th year of the Jinki era (727), and in the Kamakura Period Gyoki Bosatsu Gyojo Eden, the pagoda is described as a 13-storied earthen pagoda along with the main hall and gate. is drawn.

Excavations revealed that it was a thirteen-storied pagoda with a side of 53.1m and a height of more than 8.6m, and that each layer was covered with tiles. In addition, it seems that tiles were erected on the vertical surfaces of each layer to prevent the embankment from collapsing due to wind and rain. It is believed that about 60,000 roof tiles were used in the earthen pagoda.
In addition, 1,350 roof tiles with letters were excavated. Most of the characters are personal names, and the names of monks and nuns and clans are also found, regardless of gender.

These are thought to be the names of people called ‘Chishiki’ who built the earthen pagoda with Gyoki. In addition, a round roof tile with the same “Kamiki 4th year” as the “Gyoki nenpu” was excavated.

The earthen pagoda was designated as a national historic site in 1953 due to its extremely valuable ruins. After that, in 2009, the whole was protected with embankment as part of historic site maintenance, and the 12th floor was restored. In 2016, some of the excavated items, such as roof tiles with letters, were designated as national important cultural properties.
In addition, about 460m north of the earthen pagoda, there is also a pond called Komoike, which is thought to be Komoike, which was built by Gyoki before 741.

Opening hours: open 24 hours
Admission fee: Free admission

Access:

• From Namba Station, take the Nankai-Koya Line to Fukai Station (30 minutes, 420 yen) and walk for 15 minutes.
• From Senboku Rapid Railway “Fukai Station”, take the Nankai Bus bound for “Sakai Higashi Ekimae” and get off at the “Fukai Higashimachi Bus Stop” , or walk about 1.1km. Get off immediately