In the year 778, Priest Enchin who inspired by divine revelation in a dream to go up Kizu-gawa river to find a fountain of pure water, travelled up to a waterfall in the foot of Otowa-yama (Mt. Otowa). He met Gyoei Koji, a Buddhist recluse who had been devoted to self discipline there, and was given a block of sacred wood. Enchin carved a statue of a Buddhist deity Kannon Bosatsu out of the block and enshrine it in the thatched hut which Gyoei had been living till then.

Two years later, a military General "SAKANOUE no Tamuramaro" (758-811) came up into the mountain and met Enchin who lectured for him on the merciful teaching of Kannon Bosatsu. Tamuramaro became a pious devotee to the Kannon and he devoted a hall for the statue. These are said to be an origin of this temple. The name of the temple,"Kiyomizu" literally means "pure water" and came from the above story.

Buildings of Kiyomizu-dera were destroyed many times by an earthquake or fires that include the following. Kiyomizu-dera used be a sub-temple of Kofuku-ji in Nara that had feud with Enryaku-ji and was entangled in factional strife from around year 999. The fires in 1146 and 1165 were set by the followers of Enryaku-ji. Most of its buildings were burned down by fires of war in 1469 and again by fire in 1629. The third TOKUGAWA shogun Iemitsu rebuilt the buildings from 1631 to 1633.

This temple used to be a Hosso-shu sect temple but became independent in 1965 and call themselves the headquarters of Kita-Hosso-shu (North Hosso-shu) sect.

* 10 minutes from Kyoto Station to Gojozaka bus stop by Kyoto City Bus No. 206 then 10 minutes on foot, or

* 6 minutes from Shijo-Kawaramachi to Kiyomizu-michi bus stop by Kyoto City Bus No. 207 then 10 minutes on foot

6:00 am to 6:00 pm (5:30 pm when night admission is provided)

Elementary school children and junior high school students (1st to 9th graders): 200 yen
Those older than the above: 300 yen.