Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2007)


Kiyomizu-dera Temple (GPS: 34.99485, 135.78504) is one of the most important temples in Kyoto, Japan. It is located in the Higashiyama district, and is reached at the end of the steep shopping streets.

The name Kiyomizu-dera means "pure water temple" and refers to a clear spring, otawa, that runs down the side of the temple, in three streams. Pilgrims drink from any of the streams, said to give wisdom, health and longevity. However, drinking from all three is said to invite misfortune.

The Kiyomizu-dera, now over a thousand years old, traces its history back to AD 798. The buildings you see today however are much later. They were built when Tokugawa Iemitsu restored the temple in 1633. What is amazing about the construction of these temple structures is that not a single nail was used.

You can get wonderful views from Kiyomizu-dera, as it has wide verandas raised high above the trees, supported by giant-size pillars. There is a local saying that to jump off the veranda at Kiyomizu-dera is the Japanese equivalent to "taking the plunge". The practice is now prohibited, but during the Edo period, 234 people have taken the plunge, and 85.4% of them lived to tell the tale.

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Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2008)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2007)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2007)


Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto (30 March, 2007)

Kiyomizu-dera is on the Map of Kyoto

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About this website

Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.