The Bell of Love with a Mt Fuji view at Toki No Sumika, aka Gotemba Kogen, in Gotenba City, Shizuoka, Japan.
We went to Tokinosumika in Gotemba, Shizuoka, this past Golden Week. To be honest, I love discovering new places, but with 4 young children it is easier just to go somewhere we are familiar with. Tokinosumika never disappoints and each year they have something new there.
Bell of Love
Something that is not new and is somewhat of a symbol of the resort is their “Bell of Love”. This year I thought to get a snap of it in the daylight, as I only had old photos taken in the dark. It was a clear day and you could see Mt Fuji under the bell. Bonus! The bell, at 36,170 kilograms, is the 3rd heaviest in Japan and one of the heaviest bells in the world. At one stage, it was in the top five, but its now quite far down the list.
Quote on the bell
There is a quote beside it in English
“The bell calls the living
Mourns the Dead
And overpowers the thunder
Mount Fuji echoes
the bell on the morning
of cherry blossoms”
With all the volcanic activity in nearby Hakone,I hope it’s not a forewarning!!
The bell is situated next to the children’s playground, which got an upgrade since we last visited.
For more on Toki no sumika or official website.
Great that there is a playground within reach. Thanks for posting about the bell, anyway. Always good to find out about stuff you wouldn’t learn from reading less personal communications 🙂
Thanks Helen. I love finding something unusual to post about, but the problem is I’ve been here too long and often overlook things right under my nose! It took our 6th visit to this resort to realise Mt Fuji under Japan’s 2nd largest bell was a sight to share! 🙂
Of course, it is easier to notice with fresh eyes!
Any one can share the dimension of this bell ?