Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺, Kiyomizu temple) is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto.
- It dates back over 1,200 years as it was established in 778, during the late Nara period.
- “Kiyomizu” means “pure water”, named after the Otowa Waterfall that flows beneath the temple.
- The Japanese saying “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu” means to take a bold leap or make a big decision. In the Edo period, people actually jumped off the stage hoping their wishes would come true.
- The iconic wooden stage that juts out from the Main Hall (Hondo) is built without a single nail. It uses a traditional Japanese technique of interlocking wooden joints.