Gejou Ishi (Dismounting Stone)
This stone marks the location where pilgrims and travelers who arrived on horseback were expected to dismount in order to approach the temple on foot. Even aristocrats and lords were required to step out of their palanquins and complete the final part of their journey on their own two feet. This was seen as a sign of respect for the priest Kukai (known posthumously as Kobo Daishi; 774–835) as Jisonin Temple was considered to be an entrance gate for the Koyasan monastic complex.
When it was originally carved in the Heian period (794–1185), the stone pillar was about 3 meters tall and positioned close to the Kinokawa River. The small section remaining is the only part that was recovered after the river flooded in 1540; it was relocated to the present spot directly in front of the entrance to Jisonin Temple.