Sugama Tōfuku-ji Stone Reliquary
Sugama Tōfukuji Stone Reliquary (須釜東福寺舎利石塔, Sugama Tōfukuji shari sekitō) is a Kamakura period stone reliquary monument located within the grounds of the temple of Tōfuku-ji in the village of Tamakawa, Fukushima Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. The stele was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1935 by the Japanese government.[1]
須釜東福寺舎利石塔 | |
 Sugama Tōfukuji Stone Reliquary | |
 .svg.png){kind=icon} Shimotoriwata Memorial Stele  Sugama Tōfuku-ji Stone Reliquary (Japan) | |
| Location | Tamakawa, Fukushima, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Tōhoku region |
| Coordinates | 37°12′15″N 140°27′18″E |
| Type | monument |
| History | |
| Periods | Kamakura period |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | Yes |
Overview
The monument is made of andesite and has a height of 180 cm. It is the form of a square tower with a lotus-base and a jewel-roof. The tower is hollow and has a stone door in front, and is thought to have once housed a Śarīra relic. The location within the monument where a relic would normally be located is now occupied by a stone status of Dainichi Nyōrai. An inscription of the back of the statue gives the date of 1205 AD. On the doors of the shrine is an inscription with the names of 49 temples in the vicinity dedicated to the Pure Land of the Miroku Bosatsu.
The monument is located about 20 minutes by car from Izumigo Station on the JR East Tohoku Main Line.
References
- "須釜東福寺舎利石塔". Cultural Heritage Online (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan). Retrieved 11 March 2020.
External links
- Tamakawa village official site (in Japanese)
- Tamakawa Tourist Information (in Japanese)