The Kiyomizu temple, also known as the Kiyomizu-dera or Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, is

considered as a sovereign Buddhist temple situated in the eastern part of Kyoto. The
architecture was first constructed during the early part of the Heian period and is believed to
date back to the year 778. The most remarkable thing about the construction of this temple is
that not a single nail is used upon building it. Its name is derived from the waterfall inside its
complex making, also known as clear water or pure water temple. The main hall of the temple
houses a large veranda with tall pillars as its foundation that protrudes over the side of the
building giving a beautiful view of the city. This style of having large verandas as well as main
halls in temple designs was done in order to accommodate some huge numbers of pilgrims in it.
Just underneath the main hall is the famous Otowa waterfall where three channels of waterways
fall together in one pond. Visitors of the Kiyomizu temple can drink these waters which are
believed to possess some miraculous therapeutic powers. These waters are also said to be
powerful enough to bring longevity, health, and wisdom to whoever drinks it. However, an
ancient belief of the Japanese tells that it is morally right to choose only two of these options
because people who are greedy enough to take three of the offered gifts will only cast misfortune
upon themselves.
The Kiyomizu temple complex also houses some other shrines like the Jishu shrine is built in
honor of the god of love, Okuninushi. Found inside a shrine is a pair of “love stones” set to
ground 18 meters apart. Visitors looking for good luck in love matters can only walk between it
with their eyes closed. If a person was able to reach the other stone, it means that he/she will
soon find true love. Other offerings of the temple are talismans, omikuji, or paper fortunes and
incense.

Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of
Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east
of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. 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. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage
sites.

CONSTRUCTION NOTICE:
Kiyomizudera's main hall is covered up from February 2017 to March 2020 for the renovation of its roof.
Visitors will be able to enter the main hall during the renovations.
Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters
above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the
numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as
of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The 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.

Covered up main hall of Kiyomizudera (as of July 7, 2017)

Behind Kiyomizudera's main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love
and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully
finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love.
You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to
mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well.

The 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.

Otowa Waterfall
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. The three-storied 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.

Around the entrance of Kiyomizudera, outside the paid area, stand various other temple
buildings, including a vermilion three storied pagoda, a repository for sutras, large entrance
gates and the Zuigudo Hall which is dedicated to Buddha's mother and where against a small
entrance fee you can wander the pitch black basement that symbolizes a mother's womb.

Koyasu Pagoda viewed from the main hall of Kiyomizudera

Part of the fun of visiting Kiyomizudera is the approach to the temple along the steep and busy
lanes of the atmospheric Higashiyama District. The many shops and restaurants in the area
have been catering to tourists and pilgrims for centuries, and products on sale range from local
specialties such as Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, sweets and pickles to the standard set of souvenirs.

The Higashiyama district together with Kiyomizudera, Yasaka Shrine and other temples in the
area, have special evening illuminations during the annual Hanatoro event held in mid March.
Kiyomizudera also has special illuminations during the autumn leaf season in the second half of
November.

Kiyomizu-Dera
Temples are supposed to be inspiring. Yes, they're physical spaces for people to meet and
pray, but temple architecture is also supposed to inspire the soul towards specific spiritual ends.
This is true everywhere, but we certainly appreciate it at the Kiyomizu-Dera temple in Kyoto,
Japan. This incredible structure is named after a mountain, spring-fed waterfall that flows
through the complex (Kiyomizu literally means ''clear water''), but is formally dedicated to the
Japanese Buddhist bosatsu (deity-figure), Kannon. If there's one thing the temple certainly has,
it's the ability to inspire!

History
The story of the Kiyomizu-Dera temple dates back to the late 8th century CE. According to
tradition, a Japanese monk of the Hosso sect of Buddhism named Enchin had a dream about a
golden river flowing down Mt. Otowa above Kyoto. When we awoke, we went to the mountains
and found an old man at the place in his dreams named Gyoei. Gyoei told Enchin that he had
been there for 200 years, praying to the Buddhist deity Kannon. Gyoei asked Enchin to take his
place so that he could make a pilgrimage and promised to return. Before leaving, he mentioned
that the log he was sitting on was good wood, in case Enchin wanted to carve an image of
Kannon.
Of course, Gyoei never returned. Enchin went in search of the old man, and found his shoes
lying on the summit of the mountain. To someone with Buddhist knowledge, the meaning was
clear: Gyoei was Kannon in earthly form, and had returned to heaven. Understanding this,
Enchin quickly set to carving the log into an image of the bosatsu. Unfortunately, Enchin
couldn't get the image right. He worked for 20 years, until finally meeting a warrior
named Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. Tamuramaro was moved by the dedication and teachings
of the monk, and decided to become his patron. Tamuramaro's own house would be taken apart
and rebuilt here, as a temple for Enchin to finish the carving.
The original temple said to have been built by Tamuramaro is not the one you see over Kyoto
today. That temple burned down centuries ago, as did several after that. Despite the many fires
that ravaged the region, devoted monks and patrons always managed to get the temple rebuilt,
and even increased the size of the overall complex over time. Among these patrons was
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, considered by many to be the unifier of Japan, who frequented the temple
in the 16th century and left behind a number of relics.

The temple took many forms over the years, as some

building burned down and others were built.

The temple as we see it, however, was the result of the Tokugawa shogunate, especially the
avid patron, Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun. The Tokugawa were powerful shoguns, or
military warlords, who effectively ruled Japan in the emperor's name. They began restoring and
rebuilding the temple, and filling it with art and relics. These efforts were completed in 1633 by a
later Tokugawa shogun. This is the date formally given as the founding of the current temple
you see today.
Kiyomizu-dera, officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, is a famous Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto and is
often featured in tourist information due to its unique wooden stage that juts out from the main temple
building. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site.
While there are some practical challenges for disabled visitors, the temple has put in a lot of work to be as
wheelchair accessible as possible.

Background
Kiyomizu-dera was estableshed during the early Heian period (794-1185) by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
in 778. The current buildings were constructed in 1633 under the orders of Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.
There is not a single nail used in the entire structure. The temple’s name means pure water, or clear
water, and takes its name from the clear waters of Otowa Waterfall.
Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that is built out from the main building. 13 meters above
the hillside below, the stage gives visitors a nice view of the city below, and countless cherry and maple
trees that provide breathtaking scenes of color in spring and fall. The main hall houses the temple’s
primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon. There are many
other shrines and halls around the complex.
Kiyomizu-dera and other temples in the area are lit up in the evening during the annual Hanatoro event
held in mid-March to mid-April. Kiyomizu-dera also has special lighting during the fall season in the
second half of November.
The path leading up to the temple is bustling with shops and restaurants that have been serving tourists
and pilgrims for centuries. You can buy everything from standard souvenirs to local sweets, pickled
vegetables, and Kiyomizu-yaki pottery.
The temple is open daily from 6:00-18:00 (or 18:30 on weekends and holidays from mid-April until July,
and then every day in August and September). For the special light-up events from mid-March to mid-
April, and mid-November to early December, the temple stays open until 21:00.
The entrance fee is 400 yen, but it may be waived with disability identification.

Getting There
Kiyomizu-dera can be accessed from Kyoto Station by bus numbers 100 or 206, and getting off at at
Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi bus stops. From there it is a 10-minute walk uphill to the temple. While the
Kiyomizu-Gojo station is an alternative option, it is 20-minute walk (including 10-minutes uphill).
Bus are wheelchair accessible, but since they can be very crowded, it can be easier to get on at the
starting point of a route (like Kyoto station) than mid-way through the route.
While expensive, hiring an accessible taxi can be a good way to avoid the hill to the temple.

Accessibility
While there some definite challenges for those with disabilities, Kiyomizu-dera has put in a significant
effort to make the temple wheelchair accessible.
The first barrier that many will find is the walk from the nearest bus stop. The walk is at least 10-minutes
and goes up a fairly steep hill. While it is fine for electric wheelchairs, those in manual wheelchairs – or
those pushing manual wheelchairs – may find this a bit of a challenge. Taxis can drop off passengers at
the top of the hill.
A clearly marked path starts at the first set of stairs and leads wheelchair users to a side entrance and
then to the temple grounds.
Unfortunately, the slope to get to the flat platform between the two first temples is the worst slope of the
complex, it is steep and narrow and has a decently sized bump to get onto it.
While some of the shrines cannot be accessed in a wheelchair, the main hall and the famous wooden
stage have well-built ramps.
Stairs cut off some of the paths further into the complex, but the wheelchair route covers a large portion of
the temple grounds, eventually looping back to the start of the path.
Two wheelchair accessible toilets are available.
Please see the slides and map graciously provided by Shireen & Ruud.

Conclusion
Kiyomizu-dera is a must-see when visiting Kyoto. Period. The biggest challenge for those with mobility
issues is getting up the hill to the temple in the first place. We suggest taking rests at the many shops to
try some local treats and wares along the way, as pilgrams have done for centuries. Once at the temple,
the most important areas are accessible but crowded. There are accessible taxis available in Kyoto, so if
the hill seems daunting, it may be best to ask your hotel to order a taxi (though it may be best to do so
well in advance).