The Pure Water Monastery of Japan

Hello readers, welcome back to another blog and today, we will be talking about The Pure Water Monastery which is also known as The Kiyomizu-Dera Temple. Located in eastern Kyoto in Japan, this shrine is a Buddhist Temple and is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Kiyomuzu-Dera Temple has a rich history, and it dates to the Heian Period (794 BCE to 1185 BCE). The temple was owned by the Buddhist Kita-Hosso sect under Enchin Shonin, who was a priest from Japan. After several years, the shogun Sakanoue Tamuramaro, improved the shrine by also including a large hall that was reassembled from the palace of Emperor Kammu. Emperor Kammu left his empire due to the influence that the Buddhist monasteries had on the government there. During this point of time, a strong rivalry that had emerged between the Kofuku-ji and the Kiyomizu-dera temples and both had strong influences around the region. The temple’s buildings that were constructed in 1633, were built by Tokugawa Lemitsu. The name of the shrine, The Pure Water Monastery, gets its name from the waterfall, which is nearby the shrine. Kiyomizu-dera, another name for the shrine derives from the word kiyomizu meaning clear water, or pure water.

Recently, Kiyomizu-Dera had been chosen as one of the contenders among the 21 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World, but unfortunately, it wasn’t shortlisted for the final seven. The New Seven Wonders of the World were chosen by a series of worldwide polls that could be accessed by a huge amount of people.

Now, let us dive upon the architecture of The Pure Water Monastery of Kyoto, Japan. The main hall that was built by the shogun Sakanoue Tamuramaro included a large veranda and was supported by tall pillars. Beneath the hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. It is said that the water from the waterfall is believed to have wish-granting powers which is why people tend to drink the water and fulfil their wishes. One can enjoy a beautiful view of nature from the temple and connect to the Earth.

A temple is not complete without its religious events and vibrant cultures, so, let’s know more about the cultures and events that occur in the Kiyomizu-Dera temple.

1. Nissokan: Nissokan is a Buddhist meditation method, where one practices it by gazing at the setting sun in the west from the temple.

2. Seiryu-e: It is believed that a blue dragon that was an incarnation, used to fly to drink from the waterfall every night, followed by a demon-god named Yasha that is enshrined in a small shrine that is a part of the temple. Since then, Yasha has been worshipped as a god who guards the ground of Seriyu as well as disrupts evil karma. When this event occurs, an 18-meter-long figure of blue dragon leads the way to a parage with performers that are dressed with beautiful costumes and pray for peace and expelling bad luck and karma from the temple.

3. Thousand-Day Pilgrimage: The Thousand-day Pilgrimage is a religious event where one day of prayer is equivalent to a thousand days of prayers. The people worship Kannon during this day who is the Goddess of Mercy and the deity of compassion.

The Kiyomizu-Dera temple, also known as the Pure Water Monastery of Japan, has been home to a lot of people every year and have been one of the most prominent religious shrines of Kyoto, Japan. Finally I would like to conclude with this inspiring quote by Doe Zantamata, “When I see you through my eyes, I think that we are different. When I see you through my heart, I know we are the same.”

Thank You!