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Industry Information >>Minerals, Metals>>Ishiyamadera temple became popular with women inpart because of its proximity

Ishiyamadera temple became popular with women inpart because of its proximity

OTSU--Ishiyamadera temple, on a hill near Lake Biwa, is a populartourist and pilgrimage destination because of its beauty andenshrinement of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. But lately it hasattracted more visitors than usual, as this year marks the 1,000thanniversary of "The Tale of Genji," which Murasaki Shikibu is saidto have begun writing at the temple.

Founded around 747, the temple has been mentioned in numerousnovels, essays and poems since the middle of the Heian period(794-1192), when Kannon pilgrimages became common among imperialfamily members and court nobles and ladies. During the period,Ishiyamadera became a temple of the Shingon sect of esotericBuddhism.

In the mid-Heian period, the temple became popular with women inpart because of its proximity to Kyoto and because they wereallowed to stay there to pray to the Goddess of Mercy.

Many renowned female writers of the period, including MurasakiShikibu and Sei Shonagon, each of whom had separately served wivesof Emperor Ichijo, are said to have visited the temple.

Matsuo Basho, a haiku poet of the early Edo period (1603-1867), wasamong the many literary greats who visited Ishiyamadera, and heactually once lived on a site owned by the temple. But it is thetemple's relationship with the 54-chapter Genji tale that has trulycaptured the imaginations of its visitors.

The temple remains popular among women today because of speculationthat Murasaki Shikibu lodged at the temple for a week in 1004 topray for the ability to write a unique novel for Empress Shoshi.The empress had requested the novel as a way of attracting EmperorIchijo to her salon more frequently.

Although there are no historical documents stating exactly whenMurasaki Shikibu began writing or completed the novel, her diaryindicates she at least had completed the tale's fifth Wakamurasakichapter by Nov. 1, 1008.

It is said that during her stay at the temple, Murasaki Shikibu sawa full moon over Lake Biwa, and the idea for the novel began toform in her mind. She then began writing the famous scenes thatappear in the tale's Suma chapter, in which Hikaru Genji, the titlecharacter, remembers his glory days back in Kyoto while looking ata full moon from a beach in Suma, in current Hyogo Prefecture, towhich he had been banished because of his scandalous romanticaffairs.

Commenting on the phenomena of "Genji" tourists at Ishiyamadera,Henryu Washio, the temple's 52nd superintendent priest, says: "Themore people who admire the tale and Murasaki Shikibu came to thetemple, the more they came to believe the story of its germinationthere. The idea has grown in stature, and now everybody thinks thetemple is associated with the novel.

"The temple had been regarded by people living in the ancientcapital as a sacred site because of its proximity [to Lake Biwa,which was regarded as a sea of fresh water]."

The temple's main hall stands on a massive wollastonite rock, whichis designated as a national natural monument.

The lakeside area with its unique topographical features formed byrare rocks had been regarded as hallowed ground since before theHeian period, Washio says.

In the main hall, which houses a seated statue of Nyoirin Kannon,there is a room called Genji no Ma, which is said to have been usedby Murasaki Shikibu. A life-size doll of the author working on thenovel is on display in the room. The hall itself is a nationaltreasure.

Jakucho Setouchi, a Buddhist nun and novelist who translated "TheTale of Genji" into modern Japanese, doubts that Murasaki Shikibubegan writing the novel in Genji no Ma, but she said many women inthe period such as Fujiwara no Michitsuna no Haha, who wrote of herjealousy and anguish over her marriage in the "Kagero Nikki" diary,visited the temple.

"So I assume Murasaki Shikibu also frequented the temple and cameup with the idea for the tale's Suma chapter while looking out onLake Biwa under moonlight," she said.

Setouchi had cast doubts over the Ishiyamadera's "Genji"connections for years. But she changed her mind this winter whenshe was guided to one of the small rooms in the main hall that arenow used as dressing rooms for monks.

"It was like a study, and the atmosphere was good," she said. "Iwouldn't mind renting the room to write a novel of my own.

"Ordinary people like the idea [that "The Tale of Genji" was begunat the temple]. No one knows whether it's true or not. But it'sbetter to go along with the idea, rather than denying it."

Washio said Murasaki Shikibu's frequent visits to the temple wouldhave been taken for granted by people in the Heian period, so noone would have taken note.

Although there is no proof that Murasaki Shikibu visited thetemple, the idea is widely accepted today based on mentions of thetemple in several chapters of the book.

For example, in the Sekiya chapter, Hikaru Genji meets a marriedwoman with whom he had once been in love on his way to Ishiyamaderatemple. He writes a brief love letter to her, but his overturesfail.

In another chapter, female characters are described as preparingfor a pilgrimage to the temple.

"Ishiyamadera is a romantic place where couples meet and part,"Setouchi says.

The temple houses about 300 treasures related to Murasaki Shikibuand "The Tale of Genji," including an ink stone believed to havebeen used by the writer, and "Genji" manuscripts and foldingscreens depicting scenes from the novel, including a picture ofMurasaki Shikibu by Tosa Mitsunobu of the Muromachi period(1333-1568), which is a designated important cultural property.Most of the treasures have been donated to the temple by admirersof the novel and its author who believe in the temple's importantrole in the work.

The temple, however, has more stories than just those related to"The Tale of Genji." There are also narratives concerning itsfoundation and the bodhisattva Kannon.

The origin of Ishiyamadera is thought to date back as early as 747when Roben, the first head priest of Todaiji temple, built a cabinon a mammoth rock to house a Kannon statue he was entrusted with byEmperor Shomu.

Washio says according to the story, Roben prayed to the statue tohelp him find a gold mine for the emperor, who wanted to use goldto coat the Great Buddha under construction at the Todaiji templein current Nara. A gold mine was then found in the Mutsu region, incurrent Miyagi Prefecture.

Completing his task, Roben tried to return the statue to theemperor. However, the statue was secured to the rock so firmly thatit could not be moved.

Because of its background, Ishiyamadera had belonged to the Kegonsect of Buddhism, headed by Todaiji temple, until it was turnedover to the Shingon sect in the Heian period.

In its early years, the temple, which was built with strong backingfrom the imperial court, was regarded as a temple of wisdom, and itstill retains many Buddhist documents and sutras, including theIssaikyo sutra comprising more than 4,600 volumes, Washio says,adding that in addition to these important cultural assets, thetemple has 10 national treasures, including Tahoto pagoda.

The two-story pagoda, which houses the seated statue of universedeity Mahavairocana, is typical in its design of Shingon sectbuildings with a round base for the second story.

Built in 1194 with the patronage of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the firstshogun of the Kamakura shogunate, the pagoda is the oldest of itskind in the nation.

"Temples in Nara [such as Todaiji temple] accepted teachings ofesoteric Buddhism, and Ishiyamadera followed the trend," Washiosays.

Ishiyamadera is one of the 33 temples of the Saigoku Sanjusanshopilgrimage for Kannon statues and is visited by pilgrims andShingon sect members throughout the year.

The pilgrimage practice was restored in the mid-Heian period byEmperor Kazan (968-1008) after his abdication.

Although court ladies in the period also worshiped Kannon, theirreasons for being attracted to the temple were somewhat differentfrom those of worshippers today.

According to Setouchi, wives of court nobles in the period had topatiently wait for their husbands to visit their homes because itwas customary for the men to have many wives.

"The wives were always frustrated, but they were allowed to visittemples and shrines," she says. "Ishiyamadera was the most populardestination because they could get there within a day from thecapital. They stayed at the temple overnight and healed themselveswhile listening to sutras."

The temple's Kannon worship created another legend in connectionwith the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism.

The temple has a hall called Rennyodo, named after Rennyo(1415-1499), the eighth head priest of Honganji temple, who headedthe Jodo Shinshu sect.

His mother, from whom he was separated at the age of 6, was said tobe an incarnation of Ishiyamadera's Kannon statue. At the time ofthe separation, his mother is said to have taken his portrait withher.

The hall was originally built in 1602 as an outer shrine for thetemple, but it became Rennyodo hall in Meiji era (1868-1912) tohonor him. The hall houses a portrait of him painted when he was 6years old.

The millennial anniversary of "The Tale of Genji" gives visitors anopportunity to enjoy the charms of the temple as represented by theromantic legends surrounding it and the novel.

Related events, such as an exhibition of costumes used in a filmbased on "Genji" and a special exhibition featuring the temple'streasures, including pictures depicting scenes from the novel,continue to be held by the temple and a committee comprising localbusiness circles and others at the temple until mid-December.

In October and November, events will be held in which participantscan try on juni-hitoe layered kimono worn by Japanese court ladies.

A Japanese garden at the temple that is usually closed has beenspecially opened as a cafe. From Sept. 13 to 15, the temple groundswill be illuminated by 3,000 candles as a part of the autumnfestival for enjoying the view of the moon over the lake.

Keihan Electric Railway Co. operates a train covered with picturesof Murasaki Shikibu and court carriages until Dec. 14 on itsIshiyama-Sakamoto Line, which runs near the temple, to promote theevents.

"Both Ishiyamadera temple and 'The Tale of Genji' have survived formore than 1,000 years and are well-known," Washio says. "I hope thetemple and the tale will continue to live on for another 1,000years, and I think these events will help."

Ishiyamadera temple is about a 10-minute walk from KeihanIshiyamadera Station.


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