Kiyomizu-dera- Japanese LocationLocation · Landmark

Founding Legend

In 778 CE, the monk Enchin, a priest of Nara's Kōfuku-ji, had a dream directing him to seek a pure stream in the eastern hills of what would later become Kyōtō. Following the vision northward, he discovered the Otowa waterfall cascading down the wooded hillside. There he encountered the hermit Gyōei, who had lived at the site for years in devoted prayer to Kannon. Gyōei entrusted Enchin with a sacred log of wood and departed, instructing him to carve an image of the Thousand-Armed Kannon from it and to establish a place of worship at the waterfall.

Enchin carved the image and built a small hall to enshrine it. The name Kiyomizu, "pure water," comes from the Otowa waterfall itself. The waterfall remains a focal point of the temple grounds, its waters divided into three streams that visitors drink from using long-handled cups.

Sakanoue no Tamuramaro

The warrior Sakanoue no Tamuramaro came to the eastern hills hunting deer to obtain its blood as medicine for his wife's difficult pregnancy. There he met Enchin, who admonished him for taking life and taught him the compassion of Kannon. Tamuramaro converted and donated his own residence to be reconstructed as the temple's main hall.

Having led the imperial campaigns to subdue the Emishi peoples of northeastern Japan, Tamuramaro dedicated war spoils to the temple and secured Emperor Kanmu's formal endorsement of the site.

The Leap of Faith

The butai is a massive wooden platform extending from the main hall over the steep hillside, supported by a lattice of 139 pillars assembled without nails. It stands thirteen meters above the slope.

The platform gave rise to the proverb "Kiyomizu no butai kara tobioriru": to jump from the stage of Kiyomizu, meaning to stake everything on a single decision. Edo-period records document that some devotees did jump, trusting Kannon's protection to keep them alive. The practice was eventually banned. The proverb was not.