Ishiyama-dera Temple
Set on the side of a mountain overlooking Lake Biwa, Ishiyama-dera temple was a popular pilgrimage in Murasaki's day. It was founded in 749 and is headquarters of one of the Shingon Buddhist sects. |
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Cherry blossom beside the moon-viewing pavillion. |
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Ishiyamadera temple hondo. |
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Lanterns inside the hondo. |
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Muyu-En Garden in Autumn. |
The temple is mentioned in the Ukifune chapter of The Tale of Genji and is the 13th temple of the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage. |
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Moon-viewing
pavillion above Ishiyama-dera which was visited by Emperor Go-Shirakawa
at the end of the Heian Era. |
Murasaki is said to have begun writing The Tale of Genji at Ishiyamadera Temple on the night of the full moon, August 1004. To commemorate this event, the temple maintains a Genji Room with a life-size figure of the author at work. |
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The Genji Room. |
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Nyorin Kannon with the
Wheel of Law. |
The temple's tahoto (treasure tower) was built by Minamoto Yoritomo in the Kamakura period, and is the oldest of its type in Japan. |
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The tahoto in Autumn. |
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Statue of Murasaki Shikibu, author of
The Tale of Genji, on the hillside
at Ishiyama-dera. |
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Cherry blossom in the Muyu-En Garden
at Ishiyamadera Temple. |
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Irises in Muyu-en garden. |
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The entrance to
Ishiyama-dera temple is guarded by two nio. |
Ishiyama-dera is particularly beautiful during the cherry-blossom season. The temple's buildings and gardens are spread out over the mountain side. |