Kiyomizudera: Pure Water Temple

Founded in 780, located at the east side of Kyoto and consider as UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizudera is another temple worth paying a visit and by far the most popular, most crowded one. Morning is the best time to go where you can enjoy the fresh air while standing on the elevated hillside wooden stage right outside the temples main hall and offering a distant view of the city and maple, cherry trees down below. What makes the temple wooden hall and stage a particular interest to many is because it was constructed without using any single nail and yet still standing after centuries of time.

The access to the temple is an elevated, steep path that can be a bit tiring but if you walk via the busy street of Higashiyama District, you will never notice it since your attention will be shifted to sampling out the local delicacies and maybe checking out few souvenir items for sale along the way. You know that you are on a right track when you see an orange painted large gates and pagodas serving as the entrance view of the temple.

Kiyomizudera literal translation is “Pure Water Temple” due to the fact that the Otawa Waterfall is located at the based of the main hall. The waters are divided into three separate streams and drinking it is said to have many benefits such as success at school and luck on love life. No wonder why there are so many students on this temple and eagerly awaiting their turn on the fountain.