Visiting temples and shrines is a must do when traveling in Kyoto. There are over 1500 of them in Kyoto. Among them, one of the most visited temple is non other than Kiyomizudera. Kiyomizudera was built in honor of the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. Its name is in reference to the pure, clean waters of Otawa waterfall. It is best to visit Kiyomizidera during the cherry blossom period or the autumn period. My family decided to pay a visit during our Family Trip to Japan (07112018 - 14112018) where the color of autumn is starting to spread in Kiyomizudera. How to GoIf you are coming from Kyoto Station, you can take the local bus 206 and alight 8 stops later. Following which, you will need to walk up slope for approximately 20 minutes to reach Kiyomizudera. If you are coming from the Yasaka Shrine or like my family you pay a visit to Ryozen Kannon Temple first, you will need to walk up slope through the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka steps (2 famous stairways going through the famous Higashiyama District). You can see many unique shops in traditional houses including Starbucks and Hello Kitty Cafe. Visit During AutumnThings to DoThere are multiple shrines and temples within Kiyomizudera. One of the most interesting shrine would be the Jishu Shrine. This small but cute shrine is dedicated to the deity Okuninushi, the god of love and matchmaking. There are 2 love stone 6 meters apart within the shrine. It is believed that if you make your way from one stone to the other with your eyes closed, you will be able to find true love. If you do it with some guidance, it signifies that you will need some guidance in your love life too. I decided to give it a shot. To be honest it is not easy to accomplish the task on your own as tourist keeps cutting through your path (I bump into tourist a few times). In the end my mum needs to give directional guide for me to successfully make my way from one love stone to the other with my eyes closed. It is definitely a unique experience that I would recommend if you are here. Follow a slope down behind the main hall after you exit from Jinshu Shrine, you will arrive at the Otawa Waterfall. Here you will see a long line of queue waiting to have a chance to drink from 1 of 3 streams of water flowing from the top. It’s said that each streams of water has a different benefit: health, success at school or good luck in love. However no one is really sure which is which so just choose one and tell yourself it is the one you are looking for. But do not be greedy and drink from all streams as greedy people will not get their wish comes true. You can try guessing which one I wished for when I drank the water haha. DetailsEntry Fees: 400 yen
Opening Hours: 6:00 - 18:00 hrs Address: 294 Kiyomizu 1-chome, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0862, Japan Website: https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/
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KelvinYo. I am from Singapore. I love to travel. Follow me as I share my experiences and tips for budget travelling as well as my hunt for Ho Kangs around Singapore. Archives
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