05‏/03‏/2014

Plum Blossom at Ishiyamadera

Temple with a connection to the world's first novel

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

Simply beautiful

A temple building stands at the top of a terraced hillside

Statue of Murasaki Shikibu on the hillside

Pink plum blossoms against a blue sky

Steps in the plum orchard

Plum blossom beside the path

Thatched roof of a tower just visible over plum trees

Large rocks at the base of a tower

Gravel path near the Murasaki Shikibu museum

Stone lantern beside one of the temple buildings

A flash of red through the trees

The blossoms seem to glow in the late afternoon sunshine

A honey bee harvests blossom pollen

In the Heian Era (794 to 1185 A.D) plum blossom was preferred over cherry blossom, so it seems somehow fitting that Ishiyamadera has so many plum trees, since it is linked to the story of Murasaki Shikibu, lady at the Heian Court, and probably the first novelist in the world. If you visit Ishiyamadera you are sure to enjoy the beautifully landscaped gardens. The temple complex sprawls over a small mountain and there are a number of interesting buildings, as well as a small museum dedicated to the Tale of Genji's author.

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Cathy Cawood

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

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