Kyoto in Photos: Kiyomizu Temple

Part 4 of 10

Place: Kiyomizu-dera

Address: 294 1-chome Kiyomizu Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto

How to get there: Take the bus to the Kiyomizu-michi or Gojo-zaka. Walk uphill to the temple.

Essential Information: The home of the Hosso sect of Buddhism, this temple was founded around 789, but the current buildings date to 1633. One of the most famous sites in Kyoto (and all of Japan, for that matter), Kiyomizu is a must-visit for even a one-day itinerary. Kiyomizu-dera is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

My Take: The walk up to the temple from the bus stop passes by many interesting shops. Make sure to poke your head inside and pick up some souveneirs or Japanese confections. The temple itself looks like something out of a movie - it delivers the experience and feeling of traditional Japan. I ended up seeing a bunch of temples, but this one was definately one of my favorites.

After a 10 minute walk up the hill, the temple is finally in sight. The building on the right houses an old bell, while the right is the temple's pagoda.

And here is the bell...

A fountain with a statuette of some sort look over the steps at th entrance to the temple. "Mizu" meaning water in Japanese, it only makes sense that H2O is of great importance at Kiyomizu temple.

Not really sure what this building is, but it sure looks cool. It appears to be fairly new, as can be seen by the unweathered wood. Seems like a good point to mention that there is an unbelievable number of buildings crafted of wood throughout the city.

I know, I know... I thought the same thing too. Why are these gravestones wearing aprons? But actually, these are little statues of Ksitigarbha (or Jizo, in Japanese). It has something to do with Buddhisim.

Visitors to the temple traditionally will pick up one of these cups and drink or pour water over their hands as a cleansing ritual.

The main structure is supported by a mammoth wooden terrace, composed of hundreds of beams (each larger than a telephone pole) using no nails. This is the distinguishing feature of Kiyomizu, and makes this one of Kyoto's most visited places.