Ishiyama-dera Temple

Ishiyama-dera Temple

Ishiyama-dera is the thirteenth temple in a Pilgrimage of 33 Temples devoted to Kannon in the Kansai area, and it is famous for the “autumn moon at Ishiyama,” which is a scenic view traditionally counted as one of the Eight Views of Omi (present-day Shiga prefecture).
The temple’s main hall stands on a wollastonite (natural monument) of an enormity unseen elsewhere in Japan.
The temple is believed to be the place where Murasaki Shikibu developed her ideas for The Tale of Genji.
At Atara-Yoru-Momiji, a light-up event held on the temple’s precincts on autumn nights, visitors can enjoy a beauty of autumnal foliage that is different from that in daytime.