Hakamagoshi Bell Tower, Horyu-ji, Nara

The oldest and most beautiful architectural style used for the Japanese Buddhist bell towers is a two-storied structure, with the bell installed on the top floor. The lower part is shaped like a hakama, hence the name of this tower style, hakamagoshi.

One of the most representative examples of hakamagoshi is the bell tower in the photo, photographed inside the Horyu-ji Temple, in Nara.