The Spiritual Beauty of Kiyomizu-dera

Above, the Main Hall and Stage of Kiyomizu-dera were being renovated at the time of my visit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Huffington Post has posted a pictorial article on Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. It is not the usual kind of photo article as it focuses on the temple during four seasons.

Godzilla fans are familiar with Kiyomizu-dera as it briefly appeared in 1993's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. The scene has Godzilla stomping through Kyoto in the background with Kiyomizu-dera's Main Hall and Stage in the foreground.

According to The Huffington Post:

The Kiyomizu-dera, or Kiyomizu Temple, is one of Japan’s greatest treasures. The 14,000- square-foot temple, situated dramatically on a cliff overlooking Kyoto, was initially constructed in the 8th century. The temple was rebuilt during Japan’s Tokugawa dynasty in the 1600s, and has served ever since as a place of worship for Japanese Buddhists. 

The temple is a major tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but despite the crowds, there is something undeniably spiritual about its swooping pagodas and stone pillars, surrounded by swathes of natural greenery. Kiyomizu—which means “pure water” – takes its name from the waterfall in the center of the temple complex, whose water is believed to have the power to grant wishes.

To read more, go here.