Ishiyama Temple｜Why go to Kyoto to see the red leaves?

When tourists from all over the world gather in Kyoto, where do Kyoto people go for fun? I just happened to be watching the NHK Taiga drama "To the Lord of Light" recently, which mentioned that it was popular among the nobles in the Heian period to visit Ishiyama Temple by Lake Biwa. Why not follow the protagonist Murasaki Shikibu to Shiga. Ishiyama Temple is located in the south of Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, on the west bank of the Seta River, a tributary of Lake Biwa, on the main mountain of the Shingon sect. The name of Shishan Temple comes from a huge limestone in the temple. In autumn, the maple leaves all over the mountain and the ancient and quiet temple buildings complement each other, and the picturesque natural scenery comes into view. Ishiyama Temple has been known as one of the holy places for worshipping Guanyin Bodhisattva since the Nara period. In the Heian period, it was called the "Three Guanyins" together with Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto and Hasedera Temple in Nara. Ishiyama Temple also has a deep connection with literature. It is said that Murasaki Shikibu, the author of The Tale of Genji, was inspired by the full moon in the sky while she was in a temple, and went on to create the first novel in Japan and even the world. Today, there is still a statue of Murasaki Shikibu preserved inside the temple, which can be visited while enjoying the maple leaves.