Introduce Kyoto to Foreigners !!!
“Oinari-san,” the deity of Fushimi Inari Taisha, is the god of grain and agriculture that symbolizes rice (Inari god).
Inari God was originally a god who controlled a good harvest, but now it is also worshiped as a god of business prosperity, industrial prosperity, family safety, traffic safety, and improvement of performing arts.
The foxes you see a lot in the precincts are not the Inari gods, but the messenger of the Inari God.
It is said that Fushimi Inari Taisha began when the Inari deity was enshrined on Mt. Inari in the Nara period (711).
The Fushimi Inari Taisha was completely destroyed by the Onin War that lasted for 11 years from 1467 to 1478.
Thirty years later, the current main shrine was rebuilt in 1499.
Today, many shrines in the precincts are designated as important cultural properties.
Fushimi Inari Taisha is a shrine located in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. It is the head shrine of Inari Shrine, which is said to have about 30,000 nationwide.
The best way to get to Kiyomizu-Dera Temple from Kyoto Station is to take the bus. （There is a bus terminal in front of Kyoto Station, and bus stops are lined up by destination. When you get off the bus, the bus driver will announce “Please get off here if you are going to Kiyomizu-dera Temple”, so you will not miss the bus.
From the bus stop to Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, it is an uphill walk, so it is better to choose shoes with the mindset that you will be lightly climbing up the mountain for about 15 minutes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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” 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 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.
