Ishiyama-dera石山寺

Ishiyama-dera is a Shingon temple in Ōtsu, said to have been founded by Rōben in 747 CE. It houses a wealth of cultural assets, including two fragments of the Records of the Grand Historian, the first of China's 24 dynastic histories, the only known fragments that predate the Tang dynasty. The temple is also home to many treasures from the 8th century, including the Hondō and two-story Tahōtō Pagoda, which are considered National Treasures for their exceptional examples of Japanese traditional architecture. Additionally, Ishiyama-dera holds valuable paintings, Buddhist scriptures, statues, and other cultural properties, including guardian carvings at the Sanmon/Todaimon said to be created by famous Japanese sculptors Tankei and Unkei in the 12-13 centuries. According to temple literature, Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji at Ishiyama-dera on a full moon night in August 1004, and the temple now features a Genji room with a life-size figure of Lady Murasaki and a statue in her honor.

• Hondō: Main Shrine

  The Hondō at Ishiyama-dera is the oldest wooden structure in Shiga prefecture and was repeatedly rebuilt during the Heian period (792-1185). The temple features the famous "Genji no Ma," where Murasaki Shikibu wrote her classic novel "The Tale of Genji".

• Tahōtō: Two-Story Pagoda

  The two-story pagoda at Ishiyama-dera was built in 1194 CE with a donation from Minamoto no Yoritomo and is considered the oldest and most elegant pagoda in Japan. It houses the Variocana (Dainichi) Buddha from the Kamakura period (1185-1333).

08:00 - 16:30

Adult: 600JPY

Elementary school student: 250JPY

1 Chome-1-1 Ishiyamadera, Otsu, Shiga

• 10 minutes walk from Ishiyamadera Station (石山寺駅)

• Official Website (Japanese)
• Official Website (English)