A place story by Momo
Heritage site
About this place
A 139-pillar stage, no nails, and water from three pipes 🌿
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Kiyomizu-dera’s famous Kiyomizu Stage juts out from the main hall, which houses the principal image, toward the mountainside. It’s supported by 139 Japanese zelkova pillars, using kakezukuri—a frame of tall pillars that builds out over a slope—without a single nail. The roof is layered with cypress bark, and the temple grounds cover about 130,000 square meters. There’s plenty to follow between Niomon Gate and the hall 😲
The main hall is a National Treasure, rebuilt in 1633 with a donation from Tokugawa Iemitsu. Enjoy the view from the stage, then take the stone steps on the hall’s east side down to Otowa Waterfall. Its famous water, the source of the temple’s name, flows from three pipes 💧
The principal image is Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon. Its standing statue is a hidden Buddha revealed only once every 33 years. General visitors can enter only the outer hall, so keep that boundary in mind as you explore. Special night viewing takes place during periods in spring, summer, and autumn. Would you choose the daytime stage or a night visit? ✨
From Niomon Gate to the Hall
Pass through Niomon Gate, guarded by two fierce Nio guardian statues, then head toward the main hall past West Gate and the three-story wooden pagoda. The temple sits midway up Mt. Kiyomizu, across grounds of about 130,000 square meters, leveled with stone walls. Take your time—and count the pillars holding up the stage 👣
The Stage and Waterfall
The main hall’s projecting stage is supported by 139 Japanese zelkova pillars in a nail-free kakezukuri structure. Then follow the stone steps on the hall’s east side down to Otowa Waterfall, where famous water flows from three pipes. Notice the change in elevation as you make your way from stage to waterfall 💧
Special Night Viewing
Special night viewing takes place during periods in spring, summer, and autumn, with reception ending at 21:00. If you’d like to visit after dark, plan around one of those periods 🌙 General visitors can enter only the outer hall.
TripNaru photos
Opening hours
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 06:00–18:00