Kiyomizu-dera is one of Japan’s most famous sights — so much so that people say “Kyoto means Kiyomizu-dera”. There is a great deal to see on the grounds, and the restaurants and souvenir shops around the temple are lively with visitors from Japan and abroad. (Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto)
Kiyomizu-dera is said to have been founded in 798 by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro.
It is the head temple of the Kita-Hosso school of Buddhism, and in 1994 it was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto”.
The temple’s most famous feature, the “Stage of Kiyomizu”, was originally a place for offering Noh and dance. The stage juts out from the Main Hall and stands 18 meters high.
The temple also has many other Important Cultural Properties, including the Koyasu Pagoda, the Nio-mon Gate, the three-story pagoda, the bell tower, the West Gate, Amida-do Hall, Kyodo Hall, Tamura-do Hall, Asakura-do Hall and Shaka-do Hall.
Information
- Kiyomizu-dera
- Address: 1-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
- Phone: 075-551-1234
- Hours: 6:00–18:00
- Website: https://kiyomizudera.or.jp
- Information is as of the original Japanese article (2020). Please check the official website for the latest details before visiting.
Reporting: 山下大輔 / Text: EeNa editorial team
