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Kiyomizudera Temple

National Treasure Kiyomizu Stage

Located at the foot of Higashiyama Mountain in Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera Temple was founded in 778 and is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Kyoto. The wooden Kiyomizu stage, which protrudes from the cliff in front of the main hall, is a national treasure. The temple also has the highest three-storied pagoda in Japan.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple 清水寺, located at the foot of Higashiyama Mountain in Kyoto, was founded in 778 as a main temple of the Hosso sect of Buddhism in Japan. Kiyomizu-dera Temple suffered from fire a dozen times in its history, and most of its halls were rebuilt in 1633.

As one of the oldest temples in Japan, Kiyomizu-dera is home to more than 30 national treasures and important cultural properties, including the Nioh Gate 仁王门, the West Gate, the Three Storied Pagoda, the Bell Tower, the Main Hall, and the Amitabha Hall.

Manywhere Trivia:
The Name Kiyomizu 清水, meaning “Clear Water”, was adopted from Chinese Poet Li Bai’s poem, “Natural Beauty of Hibiscus Rising out of Clear Water”.

Nioh Gate is the main gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which is 10 meters wide, 14 meters high, and 5 meters deep, with statues of Guardian Deities on each side of the gate. Behind the Nioh Gate is a 31-meter-tall three-storied pagoda which is The Tallest Three Storied Pagoda in Japan and houses a statue of Vairocana Buddha. When you look eastward from Kyoto City, you can see the Three Storied Pagoda halfway up the hill, and it is considered a symbol of Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Cherry blossoms blooming inside the temple

The part that protrudes from the cliff in front of the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera Temple is called Kiyomizu Stage 清水の舞台. The 13-meter-high wooden stage is supported by 140 huge wooden pillars, making it a rare structure in Japan, and is now listed as a national treasure. From the Kiyomizu stage, you can get a panoramic view of Kyoto, whose endless grid layout brings visitors back to its glory days a thousand years ago.

In front of the gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a stone-paved path called Kiyomizu-zaka Street. The local bakery shops, tea shops and souvenir shops on both sides of the Kiyomizu-zaka sell goods with a strong Japanese flavor, and are popular among tourists from all over the world.