Kiyomizu-dera きよみずでら (Kiyomizu means pure water) was established in 778, during the late Nara period by Enchin Shonin, who was a priest from Nara.

Many of the temple's present buildings were constructed in 1633 on the orders of the shogun Tokugawa Lemitsu. There is not a single nail to be used in the entire structure. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills.

Kiyomizu-dera is one of the popular tourist attractions in Kyoto. There is a saying that if you dont visit Kiyomizu-dera then you have not been to Kyoto. No need to introduce this famous shrine in details. Most people more or less know the history, location etc.

We arrived at kiyomizu-dera at around 6am to avoid the crowds and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere. Needless to say we took Uber to get there in this early hour. There were still some people think alike and arrived early like us. It was a rainy morning but it did not dampen our spirits. Rather we felt we were embraced by a refreshing gentle breeze and fully enjoyed the calm ambiance of a rainy morning. The wooden platform that extends out from the main shrine hall is about 13 meters above the ground. From the platform you can have a nice view of the greenery below and even the Kyoto Tower in a distance. The wooden platform at the main shrine hall was literally EMPTY the whole time I took photos and video. What a marvellous opportunity for a photographer to encounter. It was so peaceful yet amazing for me to take photos freely and comfortably. The platform looked so different from all the social media videos and photos (many photos show that the platform was packed with people or people took selfies at some rather odd angles to avoid crowds or peoples heads). By the time we finished exploring the shrine, it was still pretty early.

After finished visiting the main hall, we walked down a flight of stairs at the far end of the shrine and reach The Otowa waterfall. It is a popular waterfall for tourists to visit. Usually people line up to drink the sacred water from the fall. It is believed that the sacred water has the blessings for healing and good fortune. The sacred water can be drunk by using a long ladle. The proper and hygiene way to drink the water is to pour the water into your palms and drink it. However some people just drink the water directly from the ladle. I just take a rain check on trying to drink the water. Instead I pray for blessings at the main shrine hall. The sacred water is divided into 3 sections: one is for longevity, one is for good luck in love relationship and the last one is for academic success.

We then continued to walk up to the bright red three story tall pagoda Koyazu. Few tourists will walk up here. It was so tranquil and peaceful here.

We then walked down to the Sanenzaka and Ninenzaka paths. Be aware when walking on these steep stone paths. If you stripped or fell down, you will have bad luck for one year. While we were at the path, one lady fell down on the path. She was ok but I prayed that she won’t have any bad luck. We swiftly went to the only Starbucks which has “tatami mats interior” at Ninezaka path to grab breakfast and coffee. It was only 810am (Starbucks opens at 8am). We thought we were early enough to get some seats. Oops, wrong again. The second floor were already packed with people, and there was absolutely no empty seats at all. We felt the whole space rather cramped so we left with an empty stomach. However the shops on these two paths open at 9 or 10am, so we did not want to wait for an hour in the rain. So we left and ventured to our next destination.

Overall our visit to Kiyomizu-dera was a memorable yet serene experience. So go early if you can, and you won’t regret it.