Gazing at this stone tower. Do you feel a connection to old Tokyo? This is the Hata no Daiichi chome Stone Koshinto Tower. It stands as a testament to faith and history.
This Koshinto tower is located in Shinagawa Ward. It is on the old Nakahara Street. Once upon a time the area was called “Elder’s Town Koshinto”. This tower marks a place of old beliefs.
The Hata no Daiichi chome Stone Koshinto Tower dates back to 1665. The people of the old Nakahara Village built it. They were part of a Koshinto group. This makes the tower one of the oldest in the area. There are fifty Koshinto towers in this district. This one is the third oldest.
Notice the inscription at the center. It says “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo”. These are words from the Lotus Sutra. Seven names are carved below. These are the people who helped build the stone tower. The names include common village names. This shows that local villagers built it.
The villagers mostly followed the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. That is why they carved the seven-character title. This is a rare type of Koshinto tower. It shows the influence of Nichiren Buddhism.
Look closely. You will see that it lacks carvings. Usually Koshinto towers have monkeys or sun and moon symbols. This one does not. This makes it special.
The Hata no Daiichi chome Stone Koshinto Tower stands 92 centimeters tall. It is made of Andesite. The upper right part is damaged. Yet the tower is still in good condition.
The tower is a designated folk cultural asset of Shinagawa Ward. It is a valuable piece of history. It shows the beliefs of people long ago.
The Hata no Daiichi chome Stone Koshinto Tower marks more than faith. This area was once a place to put up notices. People posted laws on boards. This was from the Tokugawa era to the Taisho era. This area was called “High Notice Place”.
Also nearby is the Mokurei Inari Shrine. Some call it “Inari of the Unfathomable”. People believe it can grant wishes.
When looking at a map, you can see that the tower is at a six-way intersection. This area used to be called “Elder’s Town”. Rich families lived here. This busy intersection may have been important.
This Hata no Daiichi chome Stone Koshinto Tower has stood here for centuries. It is a reminder of Tokyo’s past. It is a mix of old beliefs and local history. It is a treasure in this modern city.