Kiyomizu-Dera Temple Gate Koyoto

Japan Winter 2024

Kyoto | Japan

24 Feb 2024 | Sat

Day 05 of 17

Shinkansen Bullet Train – Tokyo to Kyoto
View Mount Fuji from Tokyo to Kyoto Bullet Train
Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Kyoto Shijo
Walking Kyoto’s Famous Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka Streets
Hokan-ji Temple Kyoto
Kiyomizu-Dera Temple Gate Kyoto
Daikanyama Candy Apple Kiyomizu Ninenzaka
Daidokoro Forested Slope to Kōdaiji Temple
Walk Back to Hotel

Kiyomizu-Dera Temple Gate Kyoto

We arrived at Kiyomizu-Dera Temple in Kyoto just as the sun was setting. The sky was a mix of warm colors, which made the view quite pleasant. Unfortunately, the temple was about to close for the day. We could only visit the gate area, missing out on the rest of the temple grounds. Despite this, the gate area itself was quite interesting to see. We were a bit disappointed, but we’ve made plans to come back and explore the entire temple on our next trip (maybe in the fall/winter of 2024).

Kiyomizudera-Zuigudo-03 — Kiyomizu-Dera Temple Gate Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺, Kiyomizu Temple, “Pure Water Monastery”) is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The temple complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and “good matches”. Jishu Shrine possesses a pair of “love stones” placed 10 meters (30 feet) apart, which lonely visitors can try to walk between with their eyes closed. Success in reaching the other stone with their eyes closed implies that the pilgrim will find love, or true love.

The complex also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes). The site is particularly popular during festivals (especially at New Year’s and during obon in the summer) when additional booths fill the grounds selling traditional holiday foodstuffs and souvenirs to throngs of visitors.

In 2007, Kiyomizu-dera was one of 21 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World, but was not picked as one of the seven winning sites.

– Kiyomizu-Dera Temple > Wikipedia