Saiyoji is a Zen temple In the Utatsuyama district of Kanazawa and is noted for its bell tower which dates to the 1850s. The architecture, the sign said, uses fan raftering where the elements are arranged radially. It seems this is a typical structure for Zen Buddhist temples.
I got a not so great photo of the large bell, one of the largest Buddhist bells but didn’t take any of the tower.
Saiyoji is also noted for its old stone Buddhas.
Grubb did a post on the D.T. Suzuki museum. Suzuki was a famous (in more modern times) Zen master. I couldn’t help but wonder about the difference between the sparse, harshly linear design of the museum and the more cluttered layout of the Zen temples, like Saiyoji, we’ve seen. Not sure how that tracks.
Do they still ring that bell?
The temple grounds didn’t really look cared for so I’m not sure if it’s still in use. But there is the big wood post hanging there you can pull back and release and let it gong the bell. I didn’t. 🤷🏼♀️
The Japanese garden in the LA arboretum used to have one of those bells. I didn’t know it was called a Buddha bell.
I think it has a different formal name but they are the bells used at Buddhists temples. And I kind of remember gonging a bell at the LA Arboretum.
That Japanese garden might be at Huntington Library.