Kiyomizu-dera (The Pure Water Temple - 清水寺) is a Buddhist temple founded in 780 AD, famous for its Main Hall and wooden stage which stands 13 meters above the hillside.
Opening times and admission
Open 6 am to 6 pm (Occasionally open until 6.30 pm during July and August and until 9.30 pm during illumination events in spring, summer and autumn)
Admission is 500 Yen.
How to get there
From Kyoto Station, take the 205 City Bus to Kiyomizumichi (16 minutes, 8 stops, 230 yen), then walk for about 10 minutes to reach the temple.
Kiyomizu-gojo on the Keihan Main Line is the closest railway station.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a 15-20 minute walk from Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park and a 10-minute walk from Kodaiji Temple.
Address: 1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan
The short uphill walk from the nearest bus or railway station took longer than I anticipated. The street was packed full of tourists, some on the way to or from the temple, some stopping at the numerous restaurants or shops offering various souvenirs.
After the beautiful main entrance (Nio-mon), the first building encountered was the west gate (Sai-mon). Both of these beautiful structures are reconstructions from 1500-1600.
Walking a bit further up, past the three-storey pagoda, I found the Zuigu-do Hall which enshrines the Daizuigu Bodhisattva.
The 31-meter-tall three-storey pagoda is a reconstruction from 1633.
It is absolutely beautiful and I wish I had taken more pictures of it - it has a beautiful vermillion colour and so much detail put into its design I could have spent ages there just admiring it.
Walking past a few other temple buildings, I finally made my way to the Main Hall (Hondo) and its well-known stage.
Knowing that no nails have been used in the making of both the Hondo and the stage might have made me feel a bit uneasy anywhere else in the world apart from here. The Japanese method of building is marvellous and even more so if we take into account that the present reconstitution is from 1633.
The views from this huge veranda are beautiful, but I preferred the ones from Okuno-in Hall. (After exiting the Hondo, walk straight ahead and then turn right, you can't miss it, everyone makes their way there).
From Okuno-in Hall you can see the Main Hall's stage, the pagoda and a good chunk of Kyoto. If you're lucky enough to be there during Sakura Season, you will see all this through a few branches of cherry blossom.
After taking a million pictures of the main hall, I went down the stairs to see what the lower level had to offer. Underneath Okuno-in Hall there is the Otowa Waterfall (Otowa no taki) with its pure waters from which the temple takes its name.
Walking towards the main entrance, you can see what the Hondo and its famous stage looks like from underneath. After I satisfied this curiosity, I walked back towards the waterfall, then turned right, and walked uphill to reach another pagoda, this time slightly smaller.
Overall I highly recommend a visit to this stunning temple, but please make sure to allow yourself enough time to fully enjoy its beauty (at least two hours).
Have you ever been there? If so, I would love to hear about your visit there, in the comments below.
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