Kiyomizu-dera
Another stop on our one-day tour of Kyoto with Aaron’s supervisor. Kiyomizu-dera is one of the most famous temples in Kyoto and it is obvious, there were hoards of people everywhere. Including a particularly large group of junior high students on a school trip, a small group of them came and introduced themselves and talked to us for a bit. They were quite interested in talking to Aaron and I, but they never even bothered to talk to his supervisor. Apparently he looked a little too Japanese.
Kiyomizudera was originally built in 798, but the current buildings are reconstructions built in the 1600’s. The temple is known for several things. There is a waterfall that is said to have therapuetic properties. As a result, numerous people waited in line for the opportunity to drink from it.
Like many other temples and shrines in the Kyoto area, the grounds were quite lovely and provide a nice walk on a good day. This one was no different.
As we approached the gate, we saw two young women dressed in kimono. One set of foreigners asked to have their picture taken with them (they actually spoke fantastic english) and it wasn’t long before they had a line of visitors waiting for a photo shoot of their own.
Also, as with every temple in Japan, there is a little station where you can wash your hands and mouth to cleanse yourself before entering. This one had the water spouting form the mouth of a dragon. I really liked it.
Overall, I would recommend a stop at Kiyomizu-dera. It was a lovely place with great views of the city and surrounding area. However, if you are looking for a little more peace and quiet when you are visiting a temple, some of the smaller, less popular temples are equally lovely and not as overrun with tourists.