Stone Tablet

History of the Stone Tablet

Itabi are memorial stone monuments created from the Kamakura period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period (13th to 16th centuries). They were erected throughout the country to pray for the repose of the deceased and the peace of future generations.
Since the stone materials used vary by region, there are differences in shape, but most have the following form. The overall shape is plate-like, with the top part shaped like a triangular peak. Below that, two lines or notches are applied to distinguish it from the main body. The main body is divided into rectangular sections, within which are seeds representing Buddhas or Bodhisattvas depicted in Sanskrit characters or images, patterns such as canopies, lotus pedestals, and vases, as well as inscriptions of dates and names of memorial donors.
It is believed that the origin of the Itabi stone monuments is in the central northern part of Musashi Province, the stronghold of the Kanto samurai. In Saitama Prefecture, there is an Itabi stone monument dated to the third year of Karoku (1227), considered the oldest currently known. From this region, the practice gradually spread to surrounding areas and eventually became distributed nationwide. Nationwide, it is evident that the Kanto region produced the most Itabi monuments, which is attributed to the use of chlorite schist (a blue-colored, easily workable rock) sourced from the Chichibu area of Saitama Prefecture. These are referred to as Musashi-type Itabi. The custom of erecting Itabi began in the Kamakura period, flourished mainly in Musashi Province, and disappeared by the end of the medieval period. Entering the Edo period, the practice completely ceased, and the erection of gravestones became common. For these reasons, Itabi can be regarded as representative stone monuments of the medieval era.

Stone Tablets in Inagi City

Currently, 268 stone monuments have been confirmed within the city. Not only those made of green schist but also one recently confirmed monument made of Ina stone. Most of them are small, about 50 to 60 centimeters in height. By region, Omaru district has the most with 102 monuments, followed by Yanokuchi district with 44, Hirao district with 43, Sakahama district with 30, Momura district with 28, and Higashi-Naganuma (5) and Oshitachi (7) districts have fewer. (9 are unknown) The distribution tends to be near old settlements and old roads, mostly in the boundary areas between hills and plains, and fewer in the Tama River floodplain areas. However, since these stone monuments are movable due to their size, it is necessary to consider the possibility of loss due to flooding of the Tama River or secondary relocation.
The oldest stone monument in the city was erected in Shōō 2 (1289), and the newest one dates back to Tenbun 5 (1536). The construction of these stone monuments continued for about 250 years during this period (from the late Kamakura period to the late Muromachi period), with the period from the 1310s to the 1390s being somewhat more active than others.

Distinctive Stone Tablets

Next, we will introduce the distinctive itabi (stone monuments).
The stone monument at Myokakuji Temple in Yanokuchi (pictured above) stands 112 cm tall above ground, making it the largest and best-preserved stone monument in the city with a well-formed shape. It clearly bears the seed syllables of Amida Triad, the name of the memorial donor "Gyaku-shu Doshu Zenmon," and the inscription dated to Kyotoku 3 (1454). Additionally, as the only example in the city, it features four lines of Sanskrit characters representing the Komyo Shingon mantra.
Two rare Jūsanbutsu stone monuments have been discovered in the southern Kanto region. These stone monuments represent the seeds of the Thirteen Buddhas and became popular through folk beliefs from the Muromachi period onward, which involved the collective worship of the Five Tathagatas, Seven Bodhisattvas, and One Myōō. A distinctive feature is that the arrangement of the Thirteen Buddhas differs from the usual order.
The stone monument excavated from the Nyūjōzuka in Hirao is a rare stone monument with gold dust remaining on the characters. It bears the name of Chōshin Hōin, a esoteric Buddhist monk who entered the mound, and serves as a valuable historical material demonstrating the actual state of faith.
In addition, there are distinctive itabi such as Shinto itabi, Amida sect itabi, and itabi inscribed with the six-character name "Namu Amida Butsu." There is also a unique excavation example of three groups of itabi (a total of 78 monuments) discovered on the slope of the Omaru site, which are believed to have been collected from other locations and secondarily rearranged.