Interestingly, when the temple was being built in 749 an old bell was dug up. Dated to the Yayoi period, it proves that the strange formation of wollastonite has been worshipped since ancient times.
In 2007 the wollastonite was named 1 of Japan’s top 100 geological features.
Caught in a hail storm during a visit to Ishiyama-dera in 1690, Matsuo Bashō (松尾芭蕉) composed this poem...
scattering on the stones
of Mount Ishiyama-
these hailstones
石山の石にたばしるあられかな