Kiyomizu-dera Temple

It is believed that the origins of Kiyomizu-dera Temple date back to 778 and is attributed to Enchin Shonin. There were hermits who practiced meditation by a waterfall deep in the mountains. The history of the temple dates back more than 1200 years. The origin of the temple proper starts with Sakanoue no Tamuramaro who came to Otowa Mountain to hunt deer for his ill wife. In the mountains he met Enchin Shonin who talked about the sanctity of life. The two decided to build a temple centered around the mountain waterfall, to repent for the sins of taking the lives of living beings.
The temple is now open to the general public and was rebuilt to it's present design in 1633 under the patronage of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa era. The grounds now cover over 130,000 square meters and include over 30 structures such as a main hall designated as a National Treasure, a wooden stage, and various gates. The temple and it`s stage were constructed without the use of nails. Adding to the fame of Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a popular Japanese proverb known throughout Japan. Kiyomizudera no butai kara tobioriru, "jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" , in other words "to take the plunge". The temple gets it's name from the waterfall it is built around, meaning “Pure Water Temple.” Kiyomizu-dera Temple is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.