Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Welcome to the legendary Kiyomizu-dera, the 'Temple of Pure Water,' a crown jewel of the Higashiyama district. As you stand here at the base of Mount Otowa, you are entering a spiritual space that has welcomed pilgrims since its…

Your journey to the temple gate begins on the historic slopes known as Ichinenzaka, Ninenzaka, and Sannenzaka. These names translate to the one-year, two-year, and three-year slopes respectively, and they are woven into the very…

Before you stands the Niomon, the magnificent main gate of Kiyomizu-dera. This structure is a formidable first impression, measuring ten meters wide, five meters long, and rising fourteen meters tall. …

Rising elegantly into the sky is the Sanju-no-to, or the Three-Storied Pagoda. This is one of the tallest pagodas in Japan and serves as a landmark for the entire temple complex. …

We now approach the Hondo, the Main Hall of the temple, which is an architectural feat of the highest order. This massive structure is famous for its construction method: the entire hall was built without the use of a single nail. …

Extending from the Hondo is the world-renowned wooden stage, which juts out thirteen meters—about forty feet—over the hillside. This stage is supported by a massive lattice of 139 giant pillars, made primarily of ancient Zelkova…

Located immediately behind the Hondo is the Jishu Shrine, a Shinto sanctuary dedicated to Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, the deity of love and matchmaking. This area highlights the unique blend of Shinto and Buddhist practices that…

Descending from the main hall, we find ourselves at the Otowa Waterfall, the very namesake of the temple. The name 'Kiyomizu' literally translates to 'Pure Water,' referring to these sacred mountain springs that have flowed here…

As you begin your descent and prepare to exit the grounds of Kiyomizu-dera, take a moment to look back at the Hondo and its stage rising from the trees. From this lower vantage point, you can truly appreciate the magnitude of the…