Temple · Kyoto, Japan
Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera (Japanese: 清水寺; lit. 'Pure Water Monastery') is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. Built 778.
Photo: Jordy Meow via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Kyoto, Japan |
|---|---|
| Type | Temple |
| Built | 778 |
| Area | Area: 1.611 km² |
| Coordinates | 34.9950° N, 135.7850° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Kiyomizu-dera is known for
Kiyomizu-dera (Japanese: 清水寺; lit. 'Pure Water Monastery') is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan.
About Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera (Japanese: 清水寺; lit. 'Pure Water Monastery') is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. It belongs to the Kita-Hosso sect of Japanese Buddhism and its honzon is a hibutsu statue of Jūichimen Kannon.
History
The origins of Kiyomizu-dera are shrouded in legend, with a sparsity of verifiable historical documentation. The legend of the founding of Kiyomizu-dera, is found in the Kiyomizu-dera Engi compiled by Fujiwara no Akihira and included in the Gunsho Ruijū (Collection of Classical Japanese Writings), the Kiyomizu-dera Engi Emaki (produced in 1520), the Konjaku Monogatarishū (Tales of Times Now Past and Present), and the Fusō Ryakuki (Records of the Buddhist Literature) contain legends about the temple's founding. According to these sources, the founding legend is roughly as follows: In 778, Kenshin (later renamed Enchin), a monk of Kofuku-ji in Yamato Province and training at Kojima-dera (present-day Takatori, Nara), received a message in a dream that led him north to Mount Otowa, the site of
Planning a visit? Visit the official Kiyomizu-dera website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Kyoto |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Osaka International Airport (ITM) |
| Distance from the airport | 24.0 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM) · Osaka, Japan · 24.5 miles away
- Kobe Airport (UKB) · Kobe, Japan · 40.5 miles away
- Kansai International Airport (KIX) · Osaka, Japan · 49.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Japan
More temples
Frequently asked questions
What is Kiyomizu-dera?
Kiyomizu-dera (Japanese: 清水寺; lit. 'Pure Water Monastery') is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan.
Where is Kiyomizu-dera located?
Kiyomizu-dera is in Kyoto, Japan. Its coordinates are 34.9950° N, 135.7850° E.
How do I get to Kiyomizu-dera?
The nearest town is Kyoto, and the nearest airport is Osaka International Airport (ITM), about 24.0 miles away (straight line).
When was Kiyomizu-dera built?
Kiyomizu-dera was built 778.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q221716 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.