Back to Kyoto Again!

I returned to Kyoto this past Saturday to see Kiyomizu-dera, or the "Pure Water Temple." It's one of the most famous temples in all of Kyoto, and many Japanese and tourists alike venture there to drink the purifying water that comes from the mountainside on which the temple is located. There are even "holy silver water cups" for purchase for use when drinking the water. However, most temple goers opt for the long-handled silver ladles provided by the temple. With this many people using the same water ladles to drink the water, there is a special ultra-violet radiation cleaning system set up to ensure that germs are not passed from one person to the next.

Walking to the temple is difficult. I had to walk through an area called Gion, which is a rather exclusive area of southeastern Kyoto. Of course anyone may enter, because it's simply a district, not an enclosed area, and Gion attracts many tourists. However, the real estate is very traditional and expensive looking, and the area is said to be home to the geiko, or geisha, of Kyoto. It is said that if you walk through the streets of Gion at dusk, you may see geiko flitting from tea house to tea house, but I have yet to see any of them.

Kiyomizu-dera is located on a hill, so after walking through Gion, I climbed a lot of steps and wound my way through the curvy, hilly streets in search of the temple. When I finally found it, I was greeted by a bright orange, ornately decorated gateway leading to the temple complex, as well as a three story pagoda. From the temple I was also provided with a beautiful view of Kyoto City and the surrounding mountains. The temple does not really have walls, so the areas where people pray are outside (albeit under a roof) and thus chilly in the winter. Kiyomizu-dera was teeming with visitors, and many women were wearing kimono as they walked across the wooden floors and soaked in the gorgeous mountain scenery.