Kyoto Day Trip: Exploring Kiyomizudera Temple in 2026

Beautiful in all four seasons,

Embracing the Otowa Waterfall,

Steeped in a thousand years of history,

Kiyomizudera Temple | Seisuiji Temple

Kiyomizudera Temple

---

Hello, I'm Ciel, your travel influencer!

Today, I'd love to introduce you to

"Kiyomizudera Temple (Seisuiji)"

which I visited as part of a Nara & Kyoto bus tour after exploring Nara Deer Park.

---

What is Kiyomizudera?

​

Kiyomizudera Temple (also known as Seisuiji) is one of Kyoto's most iconic temples,

boasting a history of 1,200 years.

You can see its main hall built atop a high cliff,

and the sprawling views of Kyoto.

Inside the temple grounds, there's the Otowa Waterfall, where three streams of water flow,

and it's said that drinking from each stream brings different blessings.

While it's beautiful in all four seasons,

it's especially popular among tourists for its cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall.

Furthermore, in the surrounding area, you can explore the shopping streets of Kiyomizuzaka, Sannenzaka, and Ninenzaka.

So, if you're planning a trip to Kyoto from near Osaka,

I highly recommend paying it a visit!

​

📍 Kiyomizudera: Kyoto's Iconic Landmark, Beautiful All Year Round 📍

---

🇯🇵Kiyomizudera: A Must-Visit in Kyoto

Recommended for those who:

✔︎ Want to visit Kyoto's iconic landmark.

✔︎ Wish to behold the beautiful Kyoto cityscape from a cliff-top.

✔︎ Seek a special experience at Otowa Waterfall.

---

Kiyomizuzaka, Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka —

While taking your time exploring these streets is lovely,

my heart was set on seeing Kiyomizudera,

so we had a quick lunch and headed straight there.

I could see the Nio Gate and the West Gate.

There weren't many tourists around the West Gate, surprisingly?

So we took some relaxed souvenir photos with my parents,

and while wandering around, I spotted...

Ema, where you write your wishes and hang them up.

Every time I see these, I think I'll try it someday,

but I was too lazy, so I just watched and passed by.

Benkei's Iron Staff

Nearby, there was an experience(?) where you could try lifting the iron clogs and iron staff,

said to have been used by Musashibo Benkei.

I queued up and tried it, but I could only lift the iron clogs...

The small iron staff wouldn't budge for me!

Aside from the big iron staff that most men couldn't lift,

the clogs seemed light and the smaller staff was manageable for others,

so when I held the clogs, I thought, 'This isn't right!'

That's when I realized, 'Wow... I'm a delicate woman‼️' (or so I thought?)

My dad, who easily lifted even the small iron staff,

made me realize, 'Oh, my dad is a strong man after all‼️'

again.

After trying Benkei's iron staff, we finally headed to buy tickets to enter Kiyomizudera's main hall.

Previously, tickets could only be purchased with cash,

but now, I heard you can pay by card at the machine on the right.

However, there was a rumor that if you pay by card, you don't get the seasonal ticket.

So, I paid in cash and received the Kiyomizudera summer ticket.

Following the crowd, I found...

You can draw an **Omikuji** (fortune slip) for **~ $1**!

At first, I thought, 'What's the point if I can't read it?',

but my mom told me to just use ChatGPT, LOL!

So we also tried drawing omikuji (fortune slips).

Dad got "Great Blessing" (Daikichi), and Mom got "Blessing" (Kichi).

Mom and Dad, let's keep getting along! ❤️

Nurete Kannon

After drawing our omikuji and walking a bit,

we spotted the Nurete Kannon, where people purify their mind and body by pouring water over the Kannon statue

and pray for good health.

We immediately offered our own prayers for health.

Jian-tō (Jian Pagoda)

Past the Nurete Kannon, you'll find the beautiful red three-story wooden pagoda,

Jian-tō (Jian Pagoda), where people pray for safe childbirth and the health of their children.

So I 'threatened' (aka gently asked) my parents to pray for *my* health there!

Kiyomizu-dera Main Hall + Stage Background

After walking a bit further, we saw the famous Main Hall,

renowned for being built without a single nail.

I don't think this is the most famous photo spot,

but it was so hot that I didn't have the energy to search for one,

so we just took photos with the Main Hall as the backdrop.

My expression... well, the sunlight was super strong, so it's not the best... (?)

But hey, it's a memory, so I'm posting it anyway. 😉

Otowa Waterfall

After taking photos with the Main Hall and continuing our walk, we finally saw the Otowa Waterfall.

As you can see in the picture, the Otowa Waterfall flows in three streams.

From the perspective of facing the waterfall, the right stream is for health,

the middle is for love, and the left is for academic success.

People choose the stream they desire, drink from it, and make a wish.

However, it's said that if you drink from all three streams, it means you're too greedy, and even the blessings you already have might disappear,

so it's recommended to drink from a maximum of two streams.

So, my mom and I only drank from the health stream.

But my dad? He went for both health AND love!

I can't even fathom how much he loves my mom...🤣

By the way, regarding the *hishaku* (ladle-like dippers) used to collect the water,

you might worry about hygiene since everyone uses them.

But they're disinfected with UV light, so you can probably worry a little less about it (?)

Ojizo-san (Jizo Statues)

As you leave Kiyomizu-dera,

you'll see stone statues wearing red bibs (?).

Honestly, knowing that the Kiyomizu-dera Main Hall stage was a suicide spot during the Edo period,

I found it a bit chilling to see something around their necks.

But it turns out they are statues dedicated to the health of children,

and for deceased children to reach the Pure Land of Paradise.

Even after learning that, I still found it a bit eerie, but after passing the Ojizo-san statues

and gazing at the beautiful pond, we concluded our Kiyomizu-dera visit.

Must-Visit Spots & Eateries After Kiyomizu-dera

Ghibli Donguri Republic (Acorn Republic)

Ninen-zaka Branch

For Ghibli fans, there's the Ghibli Donguri Republic, which sells Ghibli merchandise,

and we found it there.

If you're on a bus tour, you might have to skip lunch,

or rush through Kiyomizu-dera very quickly to make time for it.

% Arabica Coffee

Near Kiyomizu-dera (?), you'll find the % Arabica Higashiyama branch.

I heard this is actually their original store, you know?

So, I definitely recommend trying it!

However, personally, I found the Arashiyama branch to be more delicious.

In front of % Arabica Coffee, you can also take some pretty nice photos

with the Yasaka Pagoda in the background, which was great.

Kyoto Beer

Since we were in Kyoto, we had to try Kyoto Beer.

The taste... lol.

---

✔︎ Review of Kiyomizu-dera: A Must-Visit in Kyoto

The views of Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera are absolutely stunning,

and unique experiences like lifting Benkei's iron staff,

or drinking from the health-blessing stream at Otowa Waterfall were fantastic.

Exploring the shopping streets of Kiyomizu-zaka, Ninen-zaka, and Sannen-zaka, etc.,

was also a lot of fun and a great experience!

Previously, I explored the area wearing a kimono,

but this year, since it was a bus tour, I couldn't do the kimono experience.

Whether you're on a free-and-easy trip or a bus tour, if you're visiting Osaka,

I highly recommend setting aside about a day to definitely visit Kiyomizu-dera.

⬇️Want to explore Nara and Kyoto comfortably on a tour?⬇️

Cielso

ⓒ2026.Cielso All rights reserved.