Buddhist temple
Ishiba-ji
石馬寺（いしばじ）
Higashiōmi, Shiga Prefecture
A temple of the Rinzai sect, Myōshin-ji school, at the foot of Mount Kinugasa in Gokashō, Higashiōmi. Its principal image is a standing Jūichimen Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu, and it preserves much Buddhist art, including eleven Buddhist images designated Important Cultural Properties.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
Prayers associated with this place
Principal image: standing Jūichimen Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu
History and things to know
According to temple tradition, in Suiko 2 (594) a horse that Prince Shōtoku had tied to a pine tree sank into a pond and turned to stone, and so he built the temple and named it Ishiba-ji. After losing its buildings to war fires in Eiroku 11 (1568), it was restored in Keichō 8 (1603), and in Shōhō 1 (1644) it invited National Teacher Ungo as its restorer and became a temple of the Rinzai sect, Myōshin-ji school.
Introduced by this site, based on materials from the shrine or temple and public bodies.
Before you visit
Opening hours, access, areas open to visitors, and events can change. Please check the latest guidance from the shrine or temple itself before you go.
Official website of the shrine or temple (may be in Japanese)
Sources (in Japanese)
- 石馬寺「御祭神・御本尊・由緒の公式案内」（2026-10-22 確認）
This site is independent of the shrines, temples, and other websites mentioned. No partnership or endorsement is implied.