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.