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KIYOMIZU-DERA
Kiyomizu-dera - Guide to Kiyomizu-dera Temple
complete with many pictures in cherry blossom season of Kiyomizu-dera's
gardens. Kiyomizu-dera is in KyotoJapan.
Kiyomizu-dera (or Kiyomizudera, 清水寺) refers to
several Buddhist temples but most commonly to Otowasan Kiyomizudera
(音羽山清水寺) in Eastern Kyoto, and one of the
best known sights of the city. The temple dates back to 798, but the
present buildings were constructed in 1633. The temple takes its
name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the
nearby hills - kiyoi mizu (清い水) literally means pure water.
The main hall of Kiyomizu-dera is notable for its vast veranda,
supported by hundreds of pillars, which juts out over the hillside
and offers impressive views of the Kyoto
city. The expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu"
(「清水の舞台から飛び降りる」) is the Japanese equivalent of the English
expression "to take the plunge". This refers to an Edo period
tradition that held that, if one were to survive jumping from the
stage, one's wish would be granted.
This appears plausible: the lush vegetation below the platform might
cushion the fall of a lucky pilgrim, though the practice is now
prohibited. 234 jumps were recorded in Edo period and of those, 85.4
percent survived. The fall is indeed only 13 metres, which remains
impressive for a wooden construction.
Otowa-no-taki with its three channels of water
Beneath the main hall is the waterfall Otowa-no-taki, where three
channels of water drop into a pond. Visitors to the temple collect
the water, which is believed to have therapeutic properties, from
the waterfall in metal cups. It is said that drinking the water of
the three streams confers health, longevity, and success in studies.
The temple complex contains several other shrines, notably
Jishu-jinja, dedicated to Okuninushino-Mikoto, a god of love and
"good matches". Jishu-jinja possesses a pair of "love stones" placed
18 metres apart, which lonely visitors attempt to walk between with
their eyes closed. Success in reaching the other stone, eyes closed,
is taken as a presage that the pilgrim will find love. One can be
assisted in the crossing, but this is taken to mean that an
intermediary will be needed. The persons romantic interest can
assist them as well.
The complex also includes all the fixtures of a popular temple,
being one of the most-visited attractions of the city: hawkers
offering various talismans, incense, and o-mikuji (paper fortunes
ranging from "great fortune" to "great ill") abound. Indeed the high
popularity of the place means that tourists will find it difficult
to take pictures on the main temple's platform.
