Category: Temples and Shrines

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.

The Triple tower

The three-storied pagoda is about 31 meters high and is one of the largest towers in Japan.It is a symbol of Kiyomizu-Temple because it can be seen well from the city of Kyoto. It was built in 847, but the current pagoda was rebuilt in 1632. It enshrines the statue of Dainichi Nyorai and is designated as an important cultural property.

History

The history of Kiyomizu-Temple begins when a monk Kenshin was told in a dream by an old man, “Go north and find a crystal spring.”When he follows the instructions and heads north, he finds a waterfall with pure water at Otowa Mountain in Kyoto.

There, he meets a practicing hermit and is given a tree to carve a statue of thousand-armed Kannon.Two years later, Sakanoue no Tamura Maro, a warrior who visited Mt. Otowa, meets Kenshin.Impressed by the teachings of Kenshin, he built a temple with the eleven-faced thousand-armed Kannon as its principal image, and named it Kiyomizu-Temple after Otowa Waterfall.

Overview

It is a temple located in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture with a long history, built about 1,200 years ago.It has a main hall designated as a national treasure and many buildings designated as important cultural properties.It is a tourist attraction that represents Kyoto, which was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1994, and is visited by many worshipers from all over the world.

Autumn leaves

About 2,000 maple trees are planted in the precincts of Tofukuji Temple, and the sight of them all changing colors at the same time is fantastically beautiful. Especially, Tsutenkyo Bridge is the most famous spot in Tofukuji Temple where you can appreciate the autumn leaves while crossing the tasteful wooden bridge. It is like walking through a cloud of red leaves, and the temple is usually crowded with visitors every year to enjoy the spectacular view that can only be experienced at Tofuku-ji Temple.

How to get to Tofukuji Temple
To get to Tofukuji Temple, you can take the Keihan Railway, JR or Kyoto City Bus. For the route from Kyoto Station, transfer to the JR Nara Line and get off at Tofukuji Station. It takes about 10 minutes on foot from the station.

The Sanmon Gate

The Sanmon Gate of Tofukuji Temple was built in 1405 (Oei 12) in the middle of the Muromachi period (1333-1573). There are three types of architectural styles: the traditional Japanese style, the Zen Buddhist style from the early Kamakura period, and the Daibutsu style also found in Todaiji Temple.