Stone Structures and Beliefs

There are many stone structures remaining in the city that were built from the medieval to the early modern period. The stone structures found alongside old roads and within the precincts of shrines and temples are deeply connected to the lives and beliefs of the local people. Some representative stone structures found in the city include the following.

Stone Tablet

These are memorial towers built from the Kamakura period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period, constructed across the country to pray for the repose of the dead and the peace of future generations. Many were made using green schist originating from the Chichibu region, and the largest number were built in the Kanto region. They can be considered representative stone structures of the medieval period.

Koshintō

This is a stone monument created to commemorate the continuation of the Koshin ceremony, and it is common for the surface to be carved with images of Aomen Kongō, two birds, three monkeys, and the sun and moon. The origins of Koshin faith date back to the Heian period, but it spread widely in the rural society of the Edo period, leading to an increase in the construction of these monuments.

Jizo Bodhisattva Tower

The Jizo Bodhisattva Tower is the stone monument that was most actively created as a popular belief during the Edo period. It is commonly depicted in a monk's form, holding a treasure jewel (a gem that grants wishes) in the left hand and a staff (a cane carried by monks) in the right hand, and can be said to represent stone structures of the early modern period.

Bato Kannon Tower

In the Edo period, horses were an important labor force in rural areas, and stone monuments were erected to pray for the repose of horses that died from illness or accidents, as well as for the safety of travelers on the roads. These monuments were actively created from the latter half of the Edo period to the Taisho period.

Number of Stone Structures by Age

Year	Stone Tablet	Koshintō	Jizo Bodhisattva Tower	Bato Kannon Tower
From 1280	3
From 1300	25
From 1350	50
From 1400	37
From 1450	20
From 1500	5
From 1550
From 1600
From 1650		9	4
From 1700		13	10
From 1750		4	6
From 1800		4	5	3
From 1850		1	3	15
From 1900		1		20
From 1950		1		2
Unknown	118	7	12	5

Total: Ibanishi Stones 258, Koshintō 40, Jizō Bodhisattva Towers 40, Batō Kannon Towers 45