S P O T ／ SPOT-197
Natadera Temple and the Kigan Yusenkyou (Fantastic Rock Garden)
那谷寺・奇岩遊仙境なたでら・きがんゆうせんきょう
A beppan honzan (special head temple) of the Koyasan Shingon sect, founded in the first year of Yoro (717 CE) by the monk Taicho. The precinct's 'Kigan Yusenkyou' (Fantastic Rock Garden of the Wandering Immortal) is a landscape of strangely eroded volcanic rocks — primarily rhyolite and andesite of Cenozoic Tertiary period formation — shaped by prolonged wave erosion into a marine terrace that appears within the temple grounds. The site attracted the poet Matsuo Basho during his visit in the second year of Genroku (1689), where he composed the haiku 'Ishiyama no ishi yori shiroshi aki no kaze' ('Whiter than the stones of Ishiyama — the autumn wind'). The precinct holds seven structures designated National Important Cultural Properties (main hall, three-storey pagoda, goma-do, bell tower, study, and storehouse). The site is listed in the Michelin Green Guide Japan with one star; the autumn foliage and the bizarre rock formations complement each other notably in season.
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01Founded in the first year of Yoro (717 CE) by Taicho: a special head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect with over 1,300 years of history
- 02The 'Kigan Yusenkyou' (Fantastic Rock Garden): a marine-terrace landform of wave-eroded Cenozoic Tertiary volcanic rock appearing within the temple precincts
- 03Matsuo Basho's visit in the second year of Genroku (1689) and the haiku stone monument: 'Whiter than the stones of Ishiyama — the autumn wind'
- 04Seven structures designated National Important Cultural Properties (main hall, three-storey pagoda, goma-do, bell tower, study, and storehouse)
- 05Listed in the Michelin Green Guide Japon with one star; celebrated for the combination of autumn foliage and the bizarre rock formations in season
A C C E S S ／ M E T A
Essentials
- Location
- Ishikawa Prefecture Komatsu City
- Address
- 石川県小松市那谷町ユ122
- Fee
- 大人（中学生以上）1000円・小学生300円・幼児無料（特別拝観・重文書院および庭園は別途200円）
- Hours
- 9:15〜16:00（通年・年末年始は時間変更あり）
- Status
- 現存（参拝可・通年開放）
- Official
- https://www.natadera.com/
D E E P D I V E
Deep Dive
Religion
Religion
The main deity is the Thousand-Armed Kannon (a secret Buddha revealed only every 33 years; most recently displayed in 2017 for the 1,300th anniversary). As a head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect, the temple conducts esoteric rites, goma fire rituals, and the 'tainai-kuguri' (womb-crossing) practice. Passing through a cleft in the sacred rocks symbolizes rebirth and purification within the context of Hakusan mountain worship. The compound also includes the guardian deity shrine 'Jinen-chi Daimyojin.'
Architecture
Architecture
The geological origin of the Kigan Yusenkyō: The peculiar rock formations in the precincts originate from Cenozoic Tertiary volcanic activity (primarily rhyolitic and andesitic volcanic rocks). Subsequent uplift and erosion—including coastal terrace processes, weathering, and rainwater dissolution—created the grotesque pale rock formations that Basho described as 'whiter than Ishiyama's stones.' Seven National Important Cultural Property buildings: main hall (including worship hall, Chinese-style gate, and worship pavilion), study and kitchen, three-story pagoda, goma fire hall, and bell tower. Two National Scenic Beauties: the kitchen garden (study garden) and the 'Oku no Hosomichi Landscape Site' (Basho's Narrow Road to the Deep North).
Cultural Property
Cultural Property
National Important Cultural Properties: 7 buildings including the main hall complex, study/kitchen, three-story pagoda, goma hall, and bell tower. National Scenic Beauties: the kitchen garden and the 'Oku no Hosomichi' rock formation landscape. Registered Tangible Cultural Property: Fumonkaku pavilion. Prefectural Cultural Property: Ming-era polychrome vase. Michelin Green Guide Japon one-star rating (2015).