If you’ve ever looked up Kyoto on social media, chances are you’ve scrolled through a dozen pictures of people posing in a traditional-looking street with a tall pagoda in the background. This famous spot is located at the foot of Mount Otowa, one of the peaks in the Higashiyama mountain range, close to a well-known temple called Kiyomizudera.
The area surrounding the pagoda and temple is known as the Higashiyama District and is reminiscent of Edo-era Japan. It’s one of the best preserved historic neighbourhoods in the city, filled with sloping streets and narrow alleyways that are lined with traditional houses, storefronts, restaurants, and inns. It’s a must-see for any first-timer to Kyoto, I’d heard, and so one early winter morning, I headed over to check it out.
Since Kiyomizudera opens at 6 am, much earlier than any of the shops or restaurants, my plan was to start at the top and work my way down. It was a good one; when I hopped off the bus just after 8 am, there weren’t too many people around, which is rare for Kyoto these days. The walk up Matsubara Dori, the main street to and from the temple, starts off at a gentle incline and gradually gets steeper and steeper as you make your way up. I didn’t mind it so much—better to do it in the cold of January than the hell that is Japanese summer. The Niomon Gate was waiting to greet me when I reached the top.
Kiyomizudera sits about halfway up Mount Otowa. It’s an exquisite complex, sprawling over 130,000 square miles (32 acres) and featuring 30 Buddhist temple buildings, including the Main Hall, which famously juts out of the hillside. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1944 as a historic monument of ancient Kyoto.
Kiyomizudera, which literally translates to “pure water temple,” was named for the waterfall nearby, Otowa no Taki. As the story goes, an old man dressed in white appeared in a dream to the monk, Kenshin, who had been leading an ascetic life in Nara. “Depart from this southern region,” the man said, and so Kenshin walked north. He arrived at Mount Otowa and discovered the gushing waterfall.
There, he met the hermit priest Gyoei-koji, who had built himself a hut near the waterfall. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he told Kenshin, and granted him a sacred tree from which to carve a Thousand-Armed Kannon Bodhisattva. “Build a temple in this sacred place,” he said before disappearing into the void. Kenshin kept watch over Gyoei-koji’s hut from then on, maintaining the peace and serenity of the area.
Years later, a warrior named Sakanoue no Tamuramaro came to Mount Otowa to hunt deer. He stumbled upon Kenshin at the waterfall and found him to be a man of deep knowledge and strong virtue. He decided to assist Kenshin with his mission of building the temple along with his wife, Miyoshino Takako. They enshrined the Thousand-Armed Kannon Bodhisattva as the main object of worship and named the temple Kiyomizu after the waterfall.
The main hall of Kiyomizudera features a verandah which juts out from the hillside, overlooking the city. The Kiyomizu Stage, as it’s called, is supported by 13-m (42-ft) zelkova pillars using the unique Japanese construction method of kakezukuri. The pillars are joined with rails, which go through each pillar to form joints that strengthen the overall structure. Not a single nail is used in the construction. Like many of the temple buildings, it had to be rebuilt after fire damage, in 1633, but has remained intact since then.
The main hall is also an architectural marvel, featuring a hipped roof topped with hinoki (Japanese cypress) bark thatch—a style typical of the palaces and aristocratic residences of the Heian Period. Giant round columns divide the space into the gejin, or outer sanctuary, naijin, or inner sanctuary, and nainajin, or innermost sanctuary, where the Thousand-Armed Kannon Bodhisattva is enshrined.
It’s a stunning setting with so many buildings to explore and scenery to enjoy and you can spend hours walking around. If you time your visit just right, once you leave the temple, the many shops that line Matsubara Dori will have opened and you can do some shopping.
There’s the typical souvenir stores offering Kyoto-themed magnets, pens, stickers, keychains, and stationery, and specialty stores selling fans, knives, pottery, china, spices, tea, and sweets. You can also rent a kimono, or experience a Japanese-style afternoon tea at the former residence of a renowned modern Japanese painter.
If you make a right at the Ghibli Store, you’ll find the Sannenzaka Path, which will take you to Sannenzaka. This charming stone-paved pedestrian street is lined with traditional storefronts that will transport you back in time. It eventually meets up with Ninenzaka, which is a similar path that leads to Kodaiji Temple. Just before you turn onto Nenzaka from Sannenzaka, you’ll see the Yasaka Pagoda a short distance away. It’s here that everyone snaps those social media pics.
The five-story tall pagoda is the last remaining structure of a 6th-century temple complex called Hokanji. The rest of the buildings were destroyed over the years, either by fire or earthquake. Like Kiyomizudera, its construction is said to have been inspired by a dream. It was built in 589 by the Imperial Prince Shotoku. Visitors can head inside to get a closer look at the architecture, statues, and ancient paintings.
To the east of Kodaiji Temple is another historic street called Nene no Michi, which is named after the wife of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the “Great Unifier of Japan.” The stone-paved path is lined with ryokan and temples, like Gesshinin. This sub-temple of Kodaiji is usually closed to the public, but it’s possible to book a private tour, which includes a meditation led by the temple’s priest and a stroll through the garden which offers views of Yasaka Pagoda.
There are plenty of other temples within walking distance to explore, including Kyoto’s oldest, Kenninji. It boasts many attractions, including the gardens, Chouontei and Daiouen, and the Soryuzu painting of twin dragons on the ceiling of the lecture hall. You can even have the temple to yourself before it opens to the general public.
After hours of turning down random side streets and admiring the many sights, smells, and sounds of Hisahiyama, I eventually made my way to Yasaka Shrine. Affectionately known as “Gion-san” by locals, this gorgeous temple marks the eastern end of Shijo Street, which leads directly into Gion. In fact, the west tower gate looks directly onto the street, offering incredible old-versus-new views. The temple hosts the annual Gion Matsuri in July, which is one of Japan’s most famous festivals.
After a day of exploring Higashiyama, I understood why everyone raves about the area. There’s so much to see and do and even though some parts are a bit touristy, you never know what you might stumble upon down one of it’s many narrow streets.
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Visit Higashiyama
The Higashiyama District is a 15-min bus ride from Kyoto Station. Take the 206 bound for Kitaoji Bus Terminal and get off at Kiyomizumichi. From here, it’s about a 10-min walk up to Kiyomizudera. All the places mentioned in this article are pinned on the map below.
Kiyomizudera
Hours: 06:00~18:00 (check the website for special night viewings)
Admission: 500 yen
