The temple has been a site of religious importance for over 1,200 years and is even featured in classic Japanese literature, such as The Tale of Genji.
Kiyomizudera 清水寺 (lit. “Pure Water Temple”) is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 778 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto and derives its name from the fall’s waters. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The temple was originally affiliated with the Hossō sect of Buddhism and considered a branch temple of Kōfuku-ji in Nara. The Hossō sect is one of the longest surviving sects in Japan that flourished when Nara was the capital of the nation, and it survives in Japan today despite dying out in China and Korea. The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism, but formed its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965. 1
The temple’s founding abbot was the esoteric monk Enchin (known earlier in life as Kenshin), who in 778 dreamed that a divinity instructed him to make his way up the Kizugawa River to find a fountain of purest water. He arrived at a waterfall at the foot of Mt. Otowa, where he met a Buddhist ascetic named Gyōei Koji. The hermit gave him a piece of sacred wood, out of which Enchin carved a statue of Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩 before enshrining it in Gyōei Koji’s simple hut.
A few years later the famous general Sakanoue no Tamuramaro 坂上 田村麻呂 (758 – 811) headed into the Higashiyama mountains to hunt deer in order to pray for his sick wife’s recovery. After killing a deer he met Enchin, receiving a lecture from the monk about the sanctity of all life and the mercy of the compassionate Kannon. So moved and filled with guilt for killing the deer, Tamuramaro became a devoted follower of Kannon and thereafter raised a hall to keep the statue within; this hall is what would grow to become Kiyomizu-dera.2
Over the centuries, the temple buildings were lost to fire multiple times, and the current complex consists primarily of reconstructions carried out from 1631 to 1633 by order of the third Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu 徳川 家光 (1604-1651).
清水寺境内略図 Guide Map of Kiyomizu-Dera Temple
馬駐（うまとどめ）Uma-Todome (Horse Stalls)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
Historically, a designated area called 馬駐 or Horse Stable served as a stable and parking area for horses ridden by high-ranking visitors who had to dismount to enter the temple grounds on foot. Today, visitors can find the historic site where people would leave their horses, as well as prayer tablets depicting horses that are part of the temple’s history.
仁王門（におうもん）Nio-Mon (Gate of the Deva Kings)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
The Niōmon 仁王門, or “Gate of the Deva Kings,” is a Japanese Buddhist temple gate that is guarded by two muscular, fierce-looking warrior statues known as Niō (Benevolent Kings). These statues stand at the entrance to ward off evil spirits, with one statue, Agyō, having its mouth open ((<>ah<>)) and the other, Ungyō, with its mouth closed ((<>un<>)).
This is the main entrance of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It was burnt down during a civil war in 1469 and reconstructed around 1500. In 2003, the gate was taken apart and refurbished. This magnificent two-story gate measures approximately 10 meters wide, 5 meters long, and 14 meters high, and displays unique features of the era when it was rebuilt.
三重塔（さんじゅうのとう）Sanju-no-To (Three Storied Pagoda)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
三重塔 or Three Story Pagoda is one of the tallest of its kind in Japan, standing at 31 meters high. The current structure dates from a reconstruction carried out in 1633, when its original red colouring was also restored. Though you can see traditional onigawara tiles with demonic faces on them when looking at the roof, on the southeastern corner you can see a dragon regarded as a god of water that protects the structure against fire.
西門（さいもん）Sai-Mon (West Gate)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
The present building was reconstructed in 1633. With the spectacular views of the sunset from the site of Sai-mon, it has long been considered a gateway to Paradise and is known as a sacred place for Nissokan, one of the meditation practices for visualizing the Pure Land.
随求堂（ずいぐどう）Zuigu-Do (Zuigu Hall)
This building was constructed in 1735. The principal image of this hall is the Daizuigu Bodhisattva (a hidden Buddhist image), which kindly hears the desires and aspirations of each and every person. 随求堂 or Zuiga Hall honours deities of marriage, safe childbirth, and parenting. It’s a quieter area perfect for moments of reflection, which houses the Tainai Meguri. Without giving away too much, this is one of those interesting, “only in Japan” experiences. If you’re interested, pay the 100 yen admission fee and walk down the stairs into the pitch black tunnel. Going into the darkness, in fact, symbolises walking into the womb of a female bodhisattva, and coming out of it back into the light symbolises being reborn again.
轟門（とどろきもん）Todoroki-Mon (Middle Gate)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
After passing through the Niomon Gate, you’ll come to 轟門 or the Middle Gate, located between the visitor reception and the main hall, and it is the entrance to the paid area. The current gate was rebuilt in the early Edo period on a smaller scale, modeled after the Tenkaimon Gate at Todaiji Temple.
The plaque on the front reads 普門閣 “Fumonkaku,” and on the left and right are 持国天 Jikokuten and 広目天 Komokuten, and at the back are enshrined two Agata- and Ungata-style lion dogs, and in front of the gate is a stone water basin with a carving of a dragon. Use the ladle at the water basin to rinse your hands before entering the sacred areas.3
回廊（かいろう）Kairo (Covered Passageway)
At the end of the corridor, there’s a buddhist relic which was believed that if one can lift it up, one’s wishes would come true.
朝倉堂（あさくらどう）Asakura-Do (Asakura Hall)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
This hall originated from 法華三昧堂 Hokke Sammai-do Hall, which was built in 1510 with donations from Asakura Sadakage 朝倉貞景 (1473-1512), the 9th head of the Echizen Asakura clan, and is named after the donor’s surname.
It is the 13th temple of the Thirty-three Kannon Reijo of Rakuyo 洛陽三十三所観音霊場, and like the Main Hall (12th temple), it enshrines the Kiyomizu-style Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Kannon as its principal image. It was destroyed in a fire in 1629. The ground was subsequently levelled and the temple was rebuilt on flat land.4
On the east side of the Asakura Hall, there is a fan-shaped stone called “Buddha’s Footprint Stone” 仏足石（ぶっそくせき）. It is said that by praying to it, all past, present, and future sins will be erased.5
本堂（ほんどう）Hon-Do (Main Hall)
国宝（こくほう） National Treasure
Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside. 本堂 or Main Hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple’s primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon.
The stage affords nice views of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of colour in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. Kiyomizudera holds special evening illuminations during the cherry blossom season in late March and early April, during the autumn leaf season in the second half of November and during Obon in mid August.
Over 1250 years have passed since the foundation of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Halfway up Mt. Otowa, one of the peaks in Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountain range, stands the temple, to which large numbers of visitors come to pay their respects to Kannon 観音, a deity of great mercy and compassion. For this reason, the temple is known as a “Kannon Reijo” 観音霊場.
“Reijo” is a Japanese word meaning a “holy place” with which the Kannon’s compassion is abundant. People have felt very close to the principal image of the temple and called the deity “Kiyomizu Kannon-san.”
出世大黒天 Daikokuten is one of the seven deities who bring us fortunes, especially wealth. He is originally a Hindu deity Mahakala, aka Shiva adopted by Buddhism. Mahakala means “great black one.” In Japanese, it is translated as “Daikoku.” “Ten” of Daikokuten is a suffix for a guardian deity of Buddhism. Today, Daikoku-san is located at the entrance of the Hondo but he used to be in a small temple in the island of Kamo river. The statue looked new because of a recent repainting but it was made in around 15th century. 6
The main hall houses Kiyomizudera’s veranda, the most famous feature of the temple. The veranda is usually crowded with visitors, but it’s worth venturing to the furthest corner and waiting your turn for a photo with the city of Kyoto in the background.
Ema 絵馬 ( lit. ‘picture-horse’) are small wooden plaques, common to Japan, in which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes. The tablets replaced the ancient practice of donating live horses, and many of these can be found hanging the Hondo dating back to 17th century. 7
Modern ema feature various designs like zodiac animals or symbols related to the specific shrine. People purchase them, write their prayers on one side, and then hang them on a designated rack at the shrine to offer their wishes to the deities.
舞台 Butai (Kiyomizu’s Wooden Stage)
Kiyomizu-dera’s most famous aspect is its wooden stage complex, made of 168 pillars. This structure was built using a rather special method: 12-meter high keyaki (Japanese Zelkova) pillars made from thick, centuries-old trees and a floor made of 410 cypress boards was assembled and installed without using a single nail, instead relying on locking wooden joints.
“Kiyomizu no butai kara tobioriru” or “Jumping off the stage of Kiyomizu” means taking a leap of faith—a nod to an Edo-period tradition (now banned).
西向地蔵堂（じむきじぞうどう）Nishimuki Jizo-Do (Westfacing Jizo Hall)
Other structures on the spacious temple grounds include the Okunoin Hall, which resembles the main hall on a smaller scale and has also a stage. Near the Okunoin are halls dedicated to Shaka Buddha (the historical Buddha) and Amida Buddha, as well as a small hall with nearly 200 stone statues of Jizo, the protector of children and travelers.
釈迦堂（しゃかどう）Shaka-Do (Shaka Hall)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
The first thing you see as you pass through Kiyomizu-dera’s stage toward the mountain is 釈迦堂 or Shaka Do. It’s a modest building with a cubic frame and a hipped roof, characterised by black latticework and white wooden sliding doors.
Like many other buildings at Kiyomizu-dera, the founding date is unknown, as it was destroyed during the Onin War and a major fire in the Edo period. The current hall retains its appearance from the early Edo period when it was donated by Iemitsu, but it was completely destroyed in a heavy rain in the Showa period (昭和47) and then rebuilt using old materials. Shaka Hall was rebuilt in 1975 (昭和50) and is now designated as an Important Cultural Property. 8
Inside the hall is enshrined with Shaka Nyorai 釈迦如来 statue (middle) that dated back to the end of the Heian period, while the Fugen Bodhisattva 普賢菩薩 and Manjusri Bodhisattva 文殊菩薩 statues date back to the end of the Kamakura period.
百体地蔵堂（ひゃくたいじぞうどう）Hyakutai Jizo-Do (Hall of 100 Jizo)
阿弥陀堂（あみだどう）Amida-Do (Amida Hall)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
阿弥陀堂 or Amida Hall (Amidado) dates back to the early Edo period and is an Important Cultural Property. Rebuilt between 1631 and 1633, it is three square bays, has a gabled roof and is covered with tiles. A 180cm tall seated statue of Amida Buddha 阿弥陀如来 is enshrined in the inner sanctuary. This is where Honen Shonin 法然上人, the first Buddhist monk in Japan to practice regular nembutsu 念仏, is also enshrined.
And within the Amida Hall, the golden Buddha sits serenely. Amida, the Buddha of the Western Paradise, sits in contemplation; surrounded by a golden aura of 1000 Buddha figures. It was here that the monk Honen 法然 (1133-1212) first put forward the concept of the Namu Amida Butsu 南無阿彌陀佛 – the belief that recitation of the Amida Buddha’s name alone could guarantee salvation.9
濡れて観音（ぬれてかんのん）Nurete Kannon (The Goddess of Mercy with wet hands)
濡れて観音 Nurete Kannon (Wet-Handed Kannon) is a cute stone Buddha statue that stands in a small pond surrounded by a stone fence behind the inner sanctuary. People fill their dippers with water from the lotus basin to the north, pour it over the statue, and pray for the purification of their mind and body and the fulfilment of their wishes. The pedestal is inscribed with the words 「観世水」”Kanze Water.”10
奥の院（おくのいん）Oku-no-In (Innermost Temple)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
Located directly above Otowa Falls and next to the Amida Hall, 奥の院 Okunoin is the former site of the thatched hut that is the origin of Kiyomizu-dera Temple’s founding, and has a raised stage similar to that of the main hall. This hall’s veranda is smaller than that of the main hall. From this location, you can get an excellent photo of the main hall and the city of Kyoto behind it.
The Fureai Kannon ふれ愛観音, enshrined on the veranda of the worship hall, is a blessing as you can directly touch the Kannon statue and offer your prayers.
音羽の滝（おとわのたき）Otowa-no-Taki (Otowa Falls)
音羽の滝 or Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera’s main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream’s water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy; just be sure to choose wisely and drink from only one!
子安の塔（こやすのとう）Koyasu-no-To (Easy Child-birth Pagoda)
国指定重要文化財（くにしていじゅうようぶんかさい）National Important Cultural Property
The three-storied 子安の塔 or Koyasu Pagoda stands among the trees in the far southern end of the temple grounds, and a visit is said to bring about an easy and safe childbirth.
十一重石層塔（じゅういちじゅうせきそうとう）Juichi-Ju-Sekiso-To (11 Storied Stone Stupa)
十一重石層塔 or 11 Storied Stone Stupa was erected at the end of the Edo period in prayer for the reconstruction of Kiyomizu-dera Temple’s various halls, and has a well-proportioned appearance that is often seen in the gardens of old homes. A stone Buddha statue is carved into the first floor, and the remaining ten floors appear to serve as a roof. It was moved to its current location from the east of the main hall in 1918.11
Four Things to Remember When Visiting Kiyomizu-dera
Japanese are extremely polite people, and often will not intervene with your misbehaviour. Try not to be an obnoxious foreign visitor, please follow their customs.
Drawing Lots
Congratulation, you draw a good lot, foretelling your good fortune coming ahead. But if you draw a bad lot, do not despair – just leave the omikuji 御御籤 behind by tying it on lines like this one. Remember that your fate is in your own hands.
Offerings to the spirits
As you walk around the compound of the temple, you will see stone statues like these, and most often than not, there are offerings of sake to them. They are meant for the spirits, and not you – please leave them alone if you do not want to get a diarrhoea.
Follow the local’s lead and take off your shoes
If you are not aware by now, shoes are not allowed indoors in most places in Japan. Especially when the floor is covered by tatami mats. And as a courtesy to others, please wear fresh socks. You may have taken off your shoes, but dirty socks are disgusting too.
Come early and be at peace
Arrive early, around 7:30 am, to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere before tour groups arrive. By 9:30 am, it’s one of the busiest spots in Kyoto, especially during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons. Keep your voice low and follow posted photography rules.
About Kiyomizu-dera
Admission
- General Admission: ¥400
Hours
- General Admission: 06:00 – 18:00, depending on the season
- Closed: No closing days
Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera 音羽山 清水寺
1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan
〒605-0862 京都府京都市東山区清水１丁目294
Visited May 2025
Footnotes:
- https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/kiyomizu-dera/ ↩︎
- Kenshin practiced mountain Buddhism at Kojima-dera Temple in Nara, in which Kannon Bodhisattva is enshrined. He later changed his name to Enchin. https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/learn/ ↩︎
- 仁王門をくぐった先の拝観受付と本堂の間にある中門で、有料エリアの入り口になっています。 名称の由来は、お釈迦様の教えを四方万里に轟かせることから。 現在の門は、江戸前期に東大寺の転害門を模し縮小版で再建されたものです。 正面の扁額には普門閣の文字、左右には持国天と広目天、背面には阿形吽形の狛犬を安置し、門の前にはフクロウが彫刻された石造りの梟の水鉢があります。 混みあう場所なので、趣のある門をジックリ拝見する間もなく、流されるように通過してしまいました。https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298564-d16695521-Reviews-Todoroki_Gate-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html#/media/16695521/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=-160&category=-160 ↩︎
- A stone coffin was excavated beneath the destroyed hall, and a golden Thousand-Armed Kannon statue was discovered inside. The Thousand-Armed Kannon is currently enshrined in the Jibutsudo hall of 成就院 Jojuin. The temple also houses a statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva that could no longer be enshrined at Jishu Gongen (now Jishu Shrine) due to the Meiji government’s Shinto-Buddhist separation order, as well as Buddhist statues from abandoned sub-temples and subsidiary temples. https://inariage.com/term/kiyomizu-dera/asakurado.html ↩︎
- https://清水寺-御朱印.jinja-tera-gosyuin-meguri.com/清水寺・境内の見どころ/京都・清水寺「朝倉堂」【重要文化財】/京都・清水寺「朝倉堂」【重要文化財】/.html ↩︎
- https://kyotokankoyagi.com/kiyomizudera-daikokuten-en ↩︎
- The renovation work also led to the discovery that Hakuin Ekaku, a Zen monk who revived the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, did not create a wooden framed calligraphy sign hung on the east side of the Hondo hall as was long believed.
The sign reads, “Jigenshishujo, Fukujukaimuryo (Kannon Bodhisattva is watching us with her affectionate eyes, and the happiness brought by her is infinite like the ocean).”
When it was removed to repaint the wall, writing on the back of the sign was found that said it was the work of Osaka-based calligrapher Sawai Senseki in 1760. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14290054 ↩︎ - 奥の院や阿弥陀堂が並ぶエリアにあるお堂。1631（寛永8）年の築で、国の重文。ただ、1972（昭和47）年の豪雨による土砂崩れで倒壊。1975（昭和50）年に旧材を用いて復旧した。いつもお堂に背を向けて本堂の写真を撮っているので見逃しがちだが、注目のエリアではある。https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298564-d16676292-Reviews-Kiyomizu_dera_Temple_Shakado-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html#/media/16676292/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=-160&category=-160 ↩︎
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hōnen ↩︎
- 濡れ手観音（ぬれてかんのん）奥の院の裏側、石の玉垣にかこまれた小池中に、可愛らしい石仏として立つ。北隣の蓮華水盤で柄杓に水をくみ、肩からかけて、自分自身の心身の清めと諸願成就を祈願する。台座に「観世水」とある。https://www.kotolog.jp/post/濡れ手観音%28清水寺%29/ ↩︎
- 清水寺の再建を祈念して
清水の舞台下の参道を出口方向へ散策途中、放生池近くの広場に数基の顕彰碑や記念碑が集まっているエリアでもひと際目立つ塔がありました。 江戸末期に、清水寺の諸堂の再建を祈念して建立されたとのことで、よく旧家の庭園などでも見かける均整の取れた姿です。 一層目に石仏が彫られ、残りの十層は屋根の役目を果たしているようです。 大正7年、本堂の東から現在地に。https://www.tripadvisor.jp/Attraction_Review-g298564-d16695526-Reviews-11_Storey_Sekiso_Tower-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html#/media/16695526/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=-160&category=-160 ↩︎
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