The Kiyomizu Dera Temple: Overview

Learn about the Kiyomizu Dera Temple that is located near Kyoto, Japan. Read about the architecture and construction of the temple and its use and purpose.

The Kiyomizu Dera Temple: Overview

The Kiyomizu Dera Temple was constructed in Kyoto, Japan in 778 C.E. It is an important Buddhist temple in Japan that has survived for more than a thousand years. The Kiyomizu Dera Temple is a sign of the large impact that Buddhism has had on Japanese culture.

The Significance of the Kiyomizu Dera Temple

While the Kiyomizu Dera temple is an important building in Buddhism, and is a sign of the influence of Buddhism in Asian culture, it is also a sign of prominent aspects of Japanese culture.

Kiyomizu Dera: Architecture and Design Features

The architecture of the Kiyomizu Dera temple was influenced by Japanese national architectural trends of the time, and the design of the building was affected by Buddhist temple-building norms. The most popular part of the design of the temple was the stage of the temple. Many laypeople who visited the temple during the Tokugawa Shogunate participated in the practice of jumping off the stage.

The Kiyomizu Dera temple is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto that uses Japanese contemporary architecture.

The most important architectural part of the temple according to the Buddhist religion is not the stage, but the buildings next to the Otawa Waterfall. This natural feature is the evidence of the protection, compassion, and kindness of Kannon.

The Kiyomizu Stage

The stage of the Kiyomizu Dera temple is one of the most important features of the temple. One can view the entire city of Kyoto from the stage. There was a frequent Tokugawa Shogunate practice of jumping off the stage of the temple. A common superstition among visitors was that if one jumped off the stage of the temple and survived, their wish would be granted. Approximately four hundred visitors jumped off the stage during the Tokugawa Shogunate period alone. Around eighty percent of those who jumped were reported to have survived the jump. Today, ''jumping off the stage of the temple'' is a popular Japanese expression that refers to taking a drastic risk.

The History of the Kiyomizu Dera Temple

In order to understand the importance of the construction of a Buddhist temple in Japan, one must know the religious, political, and societal elements in the time period of its construction.

The Kiyomizu Dera temple also played a significant part in later Japanese culture. Around 1600, the temple was a major influence on certain religious groups. This resulted in many worshippers of the god Kannon, to whom the temple was dedicated, supporting the complete reconstruction of all of the buildings on the complex. The most giving of these worshippers was the Tokugawa Iemitsu.

Before the Temple

The site of the Kiyomizu Dera temple is near the city of Kyoto, Japan. This area was the center of all Buddhist activity in the country before it became a widely accepted religious faith. In fact, there are around thirteen sacred sites of Buddhism in this city alone, as well as more than fifteen hundred Buddhist temples. The Kiyomizu Dera temple is perhaps one of the most important and significant Buddhist temples ever built in the city. Enchin, an influential Buddhist monk in Kyoto, is known as the founder of the Temple. The Kiyomizu Dera temple is dedicated exclusively to the worship of the Buddhist god Kannon.

Kiyomizu Temple: Construction

There were several major events in the history of the construction of the Kiyomizu Dera temple of Kyoto. Key dates and events in this process include:

778 C.E.: Enchin has a vision of the place in which the Kiyomizu Dera temple is to be constructed. He meets another monk and becomes devoted to Kannon, a Buddhist bodhisattva.
Two years later, Enchin meets Sakanoue-no-Tamuramaro, who he converts to the worship of Kannon. This convert gathers materials and builds the first shrine to Kannon at a nearby waterfall in 798 C.E. The name of this shrine is kiyomizu, which means ''pure water.''
Fifteenth Century: Niomon Gate, the main entrance to the temple, is created.
Late Sixteenth Century: The Saimon Gate, another entrance to the temple, is built.
The stage outside the main hall was built in the process of making renovations to the temple buildings that ended in 1633.

One of the most notable characteristics of this building is that no metal nails were used in the construction of the temple.

Tokugawa Iemitsu, a major military leader in the Tokugawa Shogunate government period of Japan, was one of the most prominent supporters of the building of the temple. He commissioned all of the existent buildings in the complex.

Usage and Changes

The usage of the Kiyomizu Dera temple has had significant changes since it was constructed in the early seventeenth century. While it was originally intended to serve as a temple for the devotions and worship of Japanese royalty in the Tokugawa Dynasty, today it is visited by many people from all walks of life.

Important major events in the history of the usage of the temple include:

In 1633, most of the buildings in the complex of the temple were reconstructed with the aid of donations from worshippers of Kannon.
Repeated destruction of many buildings in this temple complex by fire has necessitated frequent reconstruction and revitalization.
1944: The Kiyomizu Dera temple is designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
1965: Kiyomizu Dera becomes the center of its own Buddhist religious group. Previously, it had been administered under the jurisdiction of another temple.
2003: Rebuilding of the Niomon Gate begins.
2017: The beginning of the most recent restoration of the temple, which includes rebuilding the pillars of the Hondo Great Hall. This takes three years.

Current Status

The current status of the temple is drastically different from when it was originally completed. Several times in the recent past, it has been renovated. From 2017 to 2020, the main part of the temple went under major renovations. Now that it has been completely repaired, it is visited by people from around the world. Even during the renovations, visitors were allowed onto the grounds. Approximately four and a half million visitors come to the Kiyomizu Dera temple each year.

Lesson Summary

The Kiyomizu Dera Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto was the original center of the Buddhist religion in Japan before it spread to the entire nation. The temple was built in the late eighth century C.E. and is associated with the Tokugawa Shogunate. In fact, Tokugawa Iemitsu commissioned all of the current buildings in the Kiyomizu Dera temple complex. It was built to foster the worship of the Buddhist god Kannon.

There are several major aspects of Kiyomizu Dera temple both in terms of its historical context and its architectural details. For instance, the entire temple was created without using a single metal nail. Another unique part of the temple is the stage, off of which many visitors jump. Enchin, a prominent Buddhist monk, is credited as being the most influential individual in the construction of the Kiyomizu Dera temple. The Kiyomizu Dera temple today is the site of around four and a half million visits per year. There have been several major recent renovations, including an extensive renovation on the main hall from 2017 to 2020.