In the year 732, the heaviest bell in the world was the bell of the Todai-ji Temple from Nara (in today’s photo), with an astonishing (for that era) weight of 48 tons. In 1633, the heaviest bell in the word was still a Japanese one, the bell of the Chion-in Temple in Kyoto, weighting 74 tons.

Later, it was surpassed by other bells and in 1902 the heaviest bell in Japan became the bell of the Shitennō-ji Temple in Osaka, with 114 tone. Unfortunately the bell from Osaka was melted in 1942, during the WWII, so the bell from Chion-in, Kyoto is still the heaviest in Japan…

Bell Tower, Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: The flame-shaped nimbus of Fudo Myo-o