Ishidō-ji

Ishidō-ji is a Buddhist temple in Higashiōmi with thousands of stone pagodas and Buddhist statues scattered across its grounds. A three-story stone pagoda known as the Ashoka pillar stands as the focal point of this expansive complex.

The temple emerged during the early centuries of Buddhism in Japan and gained imperial recognition in 1006 when Emperor Ichijo officially designated it as a chokugan-ji temple. This designation established it as a major Buddhist pilgrimage destination in the region.

The temple marks the twenty-second stop along the Omi Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage route, drawing Buddhist practitioners who seek spiritual enlightenment through sacred journeys.

Visiting is possible year-round, with the grounds best explored on foot to fully appreciate the countless stone structures. A Stone Pagoda Festival at the end of August lights up the temple with lanterns that reveal the detail of each sculpture throughout the site.

The collection of roughly 84,000 stupas is said to have originated from Ashoka the Great, who distributed them worldwide to promote Buddhism. This remarkable accumulation of stone reliquaries makes the site a extraordinarily rare example of its kind in the Buddhist world.