Ishiyama-Dera Temple Pagoda

Historical Background

Ishiyama-dera itself dates back to 747, when, according to temple tradition, the monk Rōben enshrined a statue of Nyoirin Kannon on the great rock outcrop at the imperial command of Emperor Shōmu. Over the Heian period, the temple became one of the favourite pilgrimage destinations of the Kyoto aristocracy, drawing court ladies who aspired to see the Nyoirin Kannon and compose poetry against the sweeping view of the Seta River and Lake Biwa. Murasaki Shikibu is said to have conceived The Tale of Genji while on retreat here.

By the late twelfth century, the Kamakura warrior government was consolidating its rule, and Minamoto no Yoritomo turned his attention to temples that had aided his family in earlier years. Ishiyama-dera, according to temple tradition, had once sheltered his elder brother Minamoto no Yoshihira after the Heiji Disturbance, and Yoritomo is said to have endowed the East Gate and the Tahōtō as an expression of gratitude. The Tahōtō was completed in 1194, the fifth year of the Kenkyū era, as confirmed by an ink inscription found on the reverse of the upper frame of the central altar during later inspection.

Why It Is a National Treasure

The Tahōtō was first protected under the Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law of 1897 and designated as a Specially Protected Building in 1901. It was then elevated to National Treasure status in 1929 under the earlier National Treasures Preservation Law, and after the postwar Cultural Properties Protection Law came into effect, it was reconfirmed as a National Treasure in 1951.

Its value rests on three pillars. First, the dated inscription of 1194 makes it the oldest firmly dated tahōtō in Japan — an irreplaceable reference point for the study of medieval Buddhist architecture. Second, the building preserves the original Kamakura-period form with remarkable integrity; although the eaves, roof framing and doors were replaced during repairs in the Keichō era (1596–1615), the core structure remains untouched. Third, the interior is a museum of late twelfth-century religious art: the principal image, a seated statue of Dainichi Nyorai carved by the great Buddhist sculptor Kaikei in 1194, and the four central pillars, painted with fifty-four deities including the thirty-seven venerables of the Diamond Realm mandala and the Five Wisdom Kings, are together designated as Important Cultural Properties.

Architectural Highlights

A tahōtō is a distinctively Japanese form of pagoda whose exterior combines a square lower story with a cylindrical upper story, the two joined by a plaster-covered rounded midsection called the kamebara ("turtle belly"). The Ishiyama-dera Tahōtō stands 16.3 metres tall and expresses this form with unusual grace. Its lower story is three bays square and noticeably broad in proportion to its height, giving the structure a settled, stable presence. The upper story is narrowed to less than half that width and carried on twelve round pillars, topped by four-step bracket complexes that support deep, gently curving eaves.

The pyramidal roof is finished in hiwadabuki, a traditional thatching of layered cypress bark that produces a soft golden-brown surface. The most recent rebuilding of this roof was completed in March 2012, restoring the warm tonality that so enhances the pagoda's elegance. Inside, the principal image of Dainichi Nyorai sits on a raised altar (shumidan) surrounded by the four central pillars, whose surfaces were once entirely covered with vivid polychrome paintings; although centuries of pigment loss have reduced the visible figures to about twenty, the iconography — including the rare depiction of seated Wisdom Kings — remains precious evidence of Kamakura-period esoteric Buddhist art.

Together with the tahōtō of Kongōsanmai-in on Mount Kōya and the tahōtō of Jigen-in in Osaka, the Ishiyama-dera pagoda is counted among the "Three Famous Pagodas" of Japan.

Visitor Information

The Tahōtō is reached by following the stone paths that wind up the hillside from the East Gate, past the Main Hall and the great outcrop of wollastonite. From the open terrace at the foot of the pagoda there is a celebrated view toward the Seta River and the forested hills beyond. The interior of the pagoda is not open to the general public; however, visitors can view the exterior from very close range and pay their respects from outside. Adjacent to the pagoda stand the memorial stupas of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Kamegai Zenni, the foster mother of Yoritomo's second daughter, which may also be approached.

Ishiyama-dera is open daily from 8:00 to 16:30, with final admission at 16:00. The general entrance fee is 600 yen for adults and 250 yen for elementary school pupils. A visit to the whole precinct, including the Tahōtō, typically takes about two hours; comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as the grounds involve a number of stone steps and slopes.

Nearby Attractions

Ishiyama-dera occupies a corner of the Lake Biwa region that is rich in cultural heritage. Within the temple grounds themselves, the Main Hall (a National Treasure) stands directly on the wollastonite outcrop that gives the temple its name; the Moon-viewing Pavilion (Tsukimi-tei) offers the view of the harvest moon celebrated in the Edo-period "Eight Views of Ōmi" series of woodblock prints. The rock formation itself has been designated a Natural Monument of Japan.

A short train ride away, the ancient temple of Mii-dera (Onjō-ji) sits on the western shore of Lake Biwa and preserves further treasures of the Tendai school. Seta no Karahashi, one of the three most celebrated bridges of old Japan, spans the Seta River nearby and is pleasant to visit at sunset. The town of Ōtsu also serves as a gateway to Hiei-zan Enryaku-ji, the great Tendai monastery registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.