Nenbutsushu Sampozan Muryojuji Temple

Mr. Jiemon Oigo XIII of K.K. Oigo Seisakusho said as follows:　   The pair of Japanese Grand Bells, one with the dragon-design cannon and the other with the phoenix-design cannon, was cast under the direction of Mr. Takahiko Fujii, former Fellow of the Casting Research Laboratory, Waseda University, and Jiemon Oigo XII using a traditional casting technique for Japanese bells. Each Grand Bell measures 3.35 meters in outer diameter and weighs over 48 tons, which is the largest of its kind in the world. Casting of over 50 tons of molten bronze had been considered as an impossible, unprecedented challenge. We endeavored to go beyond our predecessors and finally succeeded in producing this once-in-a-lifetime, most memorable pair of bells. The lower part of the bells is made thick to produce a special reverberation effect. I will never forget the strong surge of emotion stirred by hearing the very first sound of the bell.”