Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple located in the Kiyomizu area of Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was founded around the year 778 (Hōki 9) by the monk Enchin. The temple’s mountain name is Otowa-san, and it is dedicated to the deity Kannon (the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara). Originally affiliated with the Hossō sect, Kiyomizu-dera is now independent and serves as the head temple of the Kita-Hossō sect.
Together with Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) in the northern mountains and Tenryū-ji in Arashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera is considered one of the most iconic historic landmarks in Kyoto. It attracts large numbers of worshippers and tourists throughout all four seasons, creating a lively atmosphere. In addition, Kiyomizu-dera is renowned alongside Ishiyama-dera in Ōtsu City, Shiga Prefecture, and Hase-dera in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, as an important temple dedicated to Kannon. It is also the 16th temple on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, which involves visiting 33 Kannon temples across the Kansai region. Since the Heian period, Kiyomizu-dera has frequently appeared in various works of Japanese literature. In 1994, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto."
