There is a room in Ishiyama, within the main hall, where it is said that Lady Murasaki wrote the majority of The Tale of Genji (perhaps the world's first novel). Now a mannequin has taken her place, staring out across the temple to the Seta River. So many rumours are there about the Tale of Genji that it is almost impossible to know how much was indeed written by Shikibu, where it was written and if she did spend any length of time in Ishiyama at all. Certainly, as the temple proclaims, she did not write the thing in a month (August 1004). Ishiyama does a fair trade in promoting Genji and as we arrived they were putting the final touches to a grand new display that will no doubt part more tourists of their money.
Ishiyama itself is the backdrop to many tales in Japanese literature. Most of these stories focus on love and loss, and the emotions of women. The temple is well-known as protecting women, and a statue donated by Prince Shotoku is said to promote good marriage, safe childbirth and good fortune.
