Month: November 2022

Nara no Ogawa (Nara Stream)

 This stream runs through the grounds of the temple. Trees grow thickly along the riverside, creating a beautiful landscape. It is especially beautiful in the autumn season, when the river is covered with a tunnel of autumn leaves.

Honden ( The main hall)

The Honden, which enshrines the shrine deity, is designated as a national treasure as it is a typical example of nagare-zukuri, a type of shrine architecture. The “Kage-koma” paintings of komainu (guardian dogs) on the walls of the shrine are also a must-see. It is a valuable picture painted in the Edo period by the Kano school, the largest painting school in the history of Japanese painting. 

History

Kamigamo Shrine has a long history and was founded at the end of the 7th century. This was before the capital was moved to Kyoto.

It was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1994 as “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)”.“Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” is a registration of 17 temples,shrines, and castles.

Overview

Kamigamo Shrine is one of the oldest and largest shrines in Kyoto. It stands about 3.5 km upstream from Shimogamo Shrine. The shrine grounds are vast, extending over an area of about 660,000 square meters and including the mountains behind the shrine. Two sand dunes on the grounds serve a purification function and have been ceremonially created since ancient times.

Famous Slope Street

Famous Slope Street
There are many kinds of souvenir shops along Kiyomizu-zaka street.And many of those would let you try some food samples, so you could even be full without buying anything.
Sannen-zaka street which connects Kiyomizu-zaka street has old fashioned buildings and streets alongside it too.
There are many sweets shops along Ninenn-zaka street.

Access
Kiyomizu-gojo station on Keihan line is the closest station.If you go from Gion-shijo station, you can also see other sites like Yasaka shrine on the way to Kiyomizu-Temple.

Landscape

Spring Seasn
Kiyomizu-Temple is also famous for its cherry blossoms.In spring, about 1,500 cherry trees such as “Yoshino cherry tree” are in full bloom.The cherry blossoms that surround the main hall and look down from the stage of Kiyomizu are said to be spectacular.

Autumn Season
Kiyomizu-Temple is also famous for its autumn colors.In autumn, about 1000 Japanese maples around Kiyomizu-Temple dye their leaves bright red.The autumn colour overlooking the stage of Kiyomizu are breathtakingly beautiful.

 Otowa Waterfall

To the northeast of the stage of Kiyomizu is Otowa Waterfall, which is 4 meters high.The clear water that flows out of this waterfall is said to be the origin of Kiyomizu-Temple.It is composed of three waterfalls, and it is said that drinking the water has its own benefits.From the left when facing the waterfall, the benefits are “achievement of schoolwork,” “fulfillment of love,” and “longevity.”

The “Stage of Kiyomizu”

The “Stage of Kiyomizu” is in front of the main hall of Kiyomizu-Temple.

The height of the stage overhanging from the main hall is about 13 meters, which is equivalent to a four-story building.This stage is a place for dedicating performing arts to the Kannon Bodhisattva, and traditional Japanese performing arts have been performed in this place.

Making a bold decision is called “jumping off the stage of Kiyomizu”, but in the Edo period, many people actually jumped off, so a ban on jumping was issued by Kyoto Prefecture.

In December 2020, the stage renovation work was completed.

The main hall

There is the main hall . TheSenju Kannon is enshrined in the main hall.

The principal image of Kiyomizu-Temple is the eleven-faced thousand-armed Kannon Bodhisattva. It is said to save people from suffering by expressing great mercy with eleven facial expressions and forty-two hands.Normally, you cannot see it directly, but you can see it only once every 33 years.