Ishiyamadera Temple is located near the southern end of Lake Biwa, on the right bank of the Seta River, which is the only river that flows out of Lake Biwa.  The name of the temple is derived from the fact that the main hall was built on a huge bedrock of wollastonite.  Ishiyamadera Temple was founded in 747 by the Rōben monk at the request of Emperor Shomu.  During the Heian period, it was popular among aristocrats to visit Ishiyamadera Temple, and it is said that Murasaki Shikibu’s “The Tale of Genji” was inspired by the visit of Ishiyamadera Temple.  In addition, it appeared in the literature such as “枕草子(Makura-no-soushi)”, “蜻蛉日記(Kagerou-nikki)”, “更級日記(Sarashina-nikki)”, etc., and became the stage of the flowering of Heian dynasty literature.  The photo is the Tahoto surrounded by autumn leaves.

石山寺は琵琶湖の南端近く、琵琶湖から唯一流れ出る瀬田川の右岸にあります。本堂が珪灰石の巨大な岩盤の上に建てられたことが寺名の由来になっています。石山寺は747年に聖武天皇の勅願で良弁僧正が創建されました。平安時代には貴族達の間で石山寺詣でが盛んになり、紫式部の『源氏物語』も石山寺参籠の折りに着想を得たと言われています。その他『枕草子』『蜻蛉日記』『更科日記』等にも登場し、平安王朝文学の開花の舞台になりました。写真は紅葉に囲まれた多宝塔です。