yakimono-no-tou　焼物の塔

KEY WORD :　architecture / buildings & structures

A bisque ware or unglazed pagoda. Plain unglazed small pagodas are called deitou 泥塔, meaning mud pagodas. Small, votive pagodas made of simple materials such as mud and sand were made in India, China and Korea. Pagodas made with tiles were unearthed at the ancient site of Tachibanadera 橘寺, Asuka period in Nara and at the site of the Kitanohaiji 北野廃寺, Hakuhou period in Aichi prefecture. The practice of making small devotional pagodas continued in the Heian period especially when the Fujiwara 藤原 family dominated the court in Japan, and through the Kamakura period. They were made as memorials for the dead as symbols of hope and for the recovery from illness. The diaries written during these centuries record incredibly large numbers being made. Different styles are associated not only with various periods but various localities. These include the inverted bowl style fukubachishiki 伏鉢式, created during the Hakuhou period at Tachibanadera; a stepped type dantoushiki 段塔式, found at the Kitanohaiji archaeological site; the *houtou 宝塔 style from the Fujiwara age in the Heian period, have been found in Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Tottori, Okayama and Miyagi prefectures. The most popular pagodas during the Kamakura period were the *gorintou 五輪塔 type found in Yamaguchi and Wakayama prefectures and the *houkyouintou 宝篋印塔 found in Yamaguchi and Mie prefectures. During the Muromachi period, mud tablets with the letters kiriku キリク inscribed on them were also found in Nara at the Tachibanadera site and also at Hasedera 長谷寺. The pagodas called tile pagodas refer to fired pagodas. Two fired pagodas in perfect condition called *gojuu-no-tou 五重塔 or miniature five-storied pagodas were found at too different sites. One was excavated in Higashimurayama 東村山 in Tokyo and the other in Mikkabi 三ヶ日 in Shizuoka prefecture. The main parts were fired separately and then assembled. They have no podia but rest on box like wooden stands. These pagodas are about 1.50m high. The one found in Shizuoka prefecture is unique as it has a fence around it and four Buddhist images made on the central pillar *shinbashira 心柱. Although these two are the only perfect examples, many shards have been discovered at various sites throughout the country, usually at or near temples. Many of these fragments date from the Nara or Heian periods. Glazed miniature pagodas are uncommon but a famous seven-storied example dating from the Tang dynasty is stored in *Shousouin 正倉院. It is glazed with the traditional colors rust, green and yellow. However, there are strong differences of opinion concerning whether it was made in Japan or China. At Omuro Ninnaji 御室仁和寺 and at Yamashina Bishamnondou 山科毘沙門堂 both in Kyoto, 84000 pagodas were discovered at the former temple and a green glazed one found at the latter. All dated from the Edo period. An enormous number mud pagodas were unearthed at Kokubunji 国分寺, in Gifu prefecture and Nara. At An'youji 安養寺 in Okayama prefecture, a shard of a houtou and of a hexagonal touba 塔婆 were unearthed. At Joufukuji 常福寺 in Hyougo prefecture, a gorintou was excavated. These were fired but not glazed.

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