Kiyomizu-dera Temple
By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: October 13, 2026
Kiyomizu-dera is a hillside temple in eastern Kyoto whose Main Hall stands on a wooden stage about 13 meters above the slope. It opens at 6:00 a.m. every day and closes at 6:00 p.m. most of the year, later in summer and on its night-viewing dates. Every approach ends with an uphill walk, about 10 minutes from the nearest bus stops, so the planning questions are which route to take and when to arrive before the stage fills.
- Area
- Higashiyama
- Best For
- Photography, History, UNESCO Heritage, Views, Spring & Autumn Foliage
Visiting Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Kiyomizu-dera was founded in 778, according to the temple, around a spring on Mt. Otowa that gives it its name, "pure water". It is the head temple of the Kita-Hosso sect, and its principal image is an eleven-headed, thousand-armed Kannon, kept in the innermost sanctuary of the Main Hall.
The Main Hall, rebuilt in 1633, stands on a steep cliff. Its veranda, the Kiyomizu stage, is held nearly 13 meters above the slope by 18 zelkova pillars joined by rails that pass through them, without a single nail. The stage floor was relaid with hinoki cypress boards in a restoration that began in 2008 and ran for 12 years.
A visit is one route through the grounds, from the vermilion gates at the top of the approach to the stage, then down to the Otowa Waterfall, set out below. Jishu Shrine, behind the Main Hall, is closed for restoration, with no reopening date.
How to Get to Kiyomizu-dera: Bus, Train, Taxi and Walking Routes
Short answer
Kiyomizu-dera stands on a hillside in eastern Kyoto, and no train or bus reaches the gate, so every route ends on foot. From the Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi bus stops, the walk is about 10 minutes uphill. From Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo, the nearest train station, it is about 25 minutes on foot, the last part uphill. From Kyoto Station, City Bus 206 to Gojo-zaka is the simplest route but is often crowded, so Kyoto City suggests the train or the subway and bus via Kujo. From Gion, walk.
Bus, train, taxi or on foot: the options compared
- City Bus 206 from Kyoto Station
- Get off at: Gojo-zaka bus stop
- Then walk: About 10 minutes, uphill
- Fare: ¥230 adults (flat fare)
- Good to know: The simplest route, but Kyoto City says it is frequently congested, and road traffic sets the ride time
- EX100 or EX101 express bus from Kyoto Station (weekends and holidays)
- Get off at: Gojo-zaka bus stop
- Then walk: About 10 minutes, uphill
- Fare: ¥500 adults, ¥250 children
- Good to know: About 12 minutes on the bus by the timetable; boards at stop D1; no weekday service
- JR and Keihan trains from Kyoto Station
- Get off at: Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station
- Then walk: About 25 minutes, the last part uphill
- Fare: JR fare plus Keihan fare
- Good to know: One change, at Tofukuji; no road traffic, but the longest walk
- Subway and bus from Kyoto Station, via Kujo
- Get off at: Gojo-zaka bus stop
- Then walk: About 10 minutes, uphill
- Fare: Subway fare plus ¥230
- Good to know: One change, at Kujo; Kyoto City calls this bus and road relatively uncrowded
- City Bus 207 from Shijo Kawaramachi or Gion
- Get off at: Kiyomizu-michi bus stop
- Then walk: About 10 minutes, uphill
- Fare: ¥230 adults (flat fare)
- Good to know: Traffic can make the ride longer
- On foot from Gion or Shijo Kawaramachi
- Get off at: None: walk all the way
- Then walk: Past Yasaka Shrine and through the Higashiyama lanes, climbing at the end
- Fare: Free
- Good to know: Kyoto City's recommendation; Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are stone steps
- Taxi from anywhere
- Get off at: Below the temple, not at the main gate (closed to traffic 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
- Then walk: The last stretch, uphill
- Fare: Metered
- Good to know: Most useful with luggage, children or limited mobility; roads jam in the busy seasons
| Route | Get off at | Then walk | Fare | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Bus 206 from Kyoto Station | Gojo-zaka bus stop | About 10 minutes, uphill | ¥230 adults (flat fare) | The simplest route, but Kyoto City says it is frequently congested, and road traffic sets the ride time |
| EX100 or EX101 express bus from Kyoto Station (weekends and holidays) | Gojo-zaka bus stop | About 10 minutes, uphill | ¥500 adults, ¥250 children | About 12 minutes on the bus by the timetable; boards at stop D1; no weekday service |
| JR and Keihan trains from Kyoto Station | Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station | About 25 minutes, the last part uphill | JR fare plus Keihan fare | One change, at Tofukuji; no road traffic, but the longest walk |
| Subway and bus from Kyoto Station, via Kujo | Gojo-zaka bus stop | About 10 minutes, uphill | Subway fare plus ¥230 | One change, at Kujo; Kyoto City calls this bus and road relatively uncrowded |
| City Bus 207 from Shijo Kawaramachi or Gion | Kiyomizu-michi bus stop | About 10 minutes, uphill | ¥230 adults (flat fare) | Traffic can make the ride longer |
| On foot from Gion or Shijo Kawaramachi | None: walk all the way | Past Yasaka Shrine and through the Higashiyama lanes, climbing at the end | Free | Kyoto City's recommendation; Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are stone steps |
| Taxi from anywhere | Below the temple, not at the main gate (closed to traffic 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) | The last stretch, uphill | Metered | Most useful with luggage, children or limited mobility; roads jam in the busy seasons |
In this table, the walk is measured from where you get off to the temple gate, using the temple's and Kyoto City's estimates. It does not include the ride, waiting, transfers, rests or crowds. On weekends and in the cherry blossom (late March to early April) and autumn leaf (November) seasons, buses can take much longer, and the walk up slows to the pace of the crowd.
Which route suits you
- First visit, light bags
- City Bus 206 from Kyoto Station early in the morning, or the express bus on a weekend. Walk down through Sannenzaka afterward.
- Busy season, or avoiding crowded buses
- Start by train (JR and Keihan via Tofukuji), or take the subway and bus via Kujo. Both keep you off the most crowded buses.
- Large luggage
- Leave it at Kyoto Station or send it to your hotel first. Kyoto City asks visitors to sightsee hands-free where they can, and the approach is uphill and crowded. See luggage forwarding.
- Children and strollers
- The bus to Gojo-zaka gives the shortest walk; go near opening time, when it is quieter. Keep to Gojo-zaka and Kiyomizu-zaka, use the no-step route at the entrance, and avoid the stepped Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
- Older visitors or limited mobility
- A taxi saves the bus and the transfers, though you still walk the last stretch uphill. Wheelchair users can arrive by vehicle through the Chawan-zaka emergency road entrance; see Accessibility.
- Short on time
- Pair it with the walk north to Gion rather than crossing the city; Plan Your Day sets out the order.
From Kyoto Station by bus
Find the right stop. City buses leave from the bus terminal on the north (Karasuma) side of Kyoto Station. Route 206 is a loop, and buses in both directions end at Kitaoji Bus Terminal. Take the one via Gion and Kiyomizu-dera, from stop D2. The one via Daitokuji leaves from a different stop and goes the long way round.
Board and pay. Board at the rear or middle door. Pay the ¥230 flat fare at the front as you get off, by IC card or cash.
Get off at Gojo-zaka. Ride time depends on traffic, and on busy days the bus can be full when it leaves Kyoto Station. Kiyomizu-michi, the next stop north, is also about 10 minutes from the temple on foot.
Walk up. From the Gojo-zaka stop, walk east and uphill for about 10 minutes: up Gojo-zaka, then Kiyomizu-zaka, to the vermilion Nio-mon gate. From Kiyomizu-michi, walk southeast and uphill to Kiyomizu-zaka. Follow the street signs rather than a map app: the temple warns that some apps show routes that do not reach the grounds.
- Weekend express bus
- On Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, the EX100 and EX101 run from stop D1 at Kyoto Station to Gojo-zaka in about 12 minutes by the timetable, about every 7 to 8 minutes in the morning. EX101 stops only at Gojo-zaka; EX100 continues to Gion, Heian Shrine and Ginkaku-ji.
- Fare and boarding
- Board at the front and pay as you board: ¥500 for adults and ¥250 for children, by IC card or cash. The Subway and Bus 1-Day Pass is accepted.
- Then
- Walk up from Gojo-zaka as in step 4, about 10 minutes.
From Kyoto Station by train
JR Nara Line to Tofukuji. Ride one stop to Tofukuji on a local train; rapid trains do not stop there.
Change to the Keihan line. At Tofukuji, transfer to the Keihan Main Line and ride north two stops to Kiyomizu-Gojo. Take a local: the faster Keihan trains do not stop at either station.
Walk to the temple. From Kiyomizu-Gojo, walk east along Gojo-dori to Higashioji-dori, then climb Gojo-zaka and Kiyomizu-zaka to the gate. The whole walk takes about 25 minutes, and the climb starts at Higashioji-dori.
The 25 minutes is the walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station to the temple, not the whole journey: add the two short train rides and the change at Tofukuji. Kyoto Station has no Keihan platforms, which is why the route changes there. The temple also lists Keihan Shichijo Station, one stop before Kiyomizu-Gojo, from which City Bus 206 runs to Gojo-zaka.
From Kyoto Station by subway and bus
Subway to Kujo. Take the Karasuma Line one stop south from Kyoto Station to Kujo.
Bus to Gojo-zaka. From the Subway Kujo Sta. (Oishibashi) bus stop, the one nearest the station, take City Bus 202 or 207 to Gojo-zaka. Kyoto City recommends this route because the bus and the road are relatively uncrowded, and the Subway and Bus 1-Day Pass covers it.
Walk up. From Gojo-zaka, walk east and uphill for about 10 minutes, as on the bus route above.
Kyoto City also suggests a route with no bus: the subway to Higashiyama Station, changing from the Karasuma Line to the Tozai Line at Karasuma Oike, then about 35 minutes on foot to the temple through Nene-no-michi, Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka. That walk climbs the stepped lanes, so it suits steady walkers better than strollers or wheelchairs.
By taxi
A taxi saves the transfers but not the final climb. The street in front of the main gate is closed to traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., so the driver drops you below the temple and you walk the last stretch uphill, often through a crowd. In the blossom and foliage seasons, the roads around Higashiyama jam, and a taxi can be slower than the train. A taxi is most worth it with luggage, small children or older relatives. For wheelchair access by car, see Accessibility.
From Gion, Kawaramachi, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama and Osaka
- Gion and Shijo Kawaramachi
- Walk. Kyoto City recommends going on foot from Shijo Kawaramachi, past Hanamikoji and Yasaka Shrine, then south through the Higashiyama lanes; the last part climbs toward the temple. If a long walk is hard, take City Bus 207 (toward Tofukuji and Kujo Shako) from the Shijo Kawaramachi stop, or City Bus 206 or 207 from the Gion stop, to Kiyomizu-michi, then walk about 10 minutes uphill. Keihan Bus 83, 85, 87 and 88 also stop at Kiyomizu-michi or Gojo-zaka. Kyoto City warns that traffic can make these rides longer.
- Fushimi Inari
- Take the Keihan Main Line north from Fushimi-Inari Station to Kiyomizu-Gojo with no change of train, then walk about 25 minutes to the temple. From JR Inari Station, ride one stop to Tofukuji and change to Keihan there. See Fushimi Inari for the shrine itself.
- Arashiyama
- The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is on the opposite side of the city, so allow a long transfer or keep the two for different days. Take the Hankyu Arashiyama Line to Katsura, change to the Hankyu Kyoto Line for Kyoto-kawaramachi, then walk through Gion or take City Bus 207. Or take the JR Sagano Line back to Kyoto Station and continue as above.
- Osaka
- The Keihan Main Line runs from Yodoyabashi and Kyobashi to Kiyomizu-Gojo and Gion-Shijo; check that your train stops at Kiyomizu-Gojo, or ride to Gion-Shijo and walk. The Hankyu Kyoto Line from Osaka-umeda ends at Kyoto-kawaramachi, a walk or a City Bus 207 ride away. On JR, go to Kyoto Station and follow the routes above.
- Kansai Airport
- Go to Kyoto Station first (Kansai Airport to Kyoto compares the options), leave large bags there or at your hotel, then follow the Kyoto Station routes.
Nearest station, nearest bus stops and the actual entrance
- Nearest station
- Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo. From there it is about 25 minutes on foot to the temple, east along Gojo-dori and then uphill. No train line reaches the temple itself.
- Nearest bus stops
- Gojo-zaka and Kiyomizu-michi, both on Higashioji-dori, each about 10 minutes uphill on foot to the temple. City Bus 202, 206 and 207 stop at both, among other routes, and the weekend express buses stop at Gojo-zaka.
- The entrances
- Only two routes lead into the grounds: Kiyomizu-zaka to the Nio-mon, the main gate, and Chawan-zaka to the emergency road entrance. Map apps sometimes suggest others that do not get in.
- Why nearest is not easiest
- Kiyomizu-Gojo is the nearest station, but the bus stops are closer to the temple. The bus offers a shorter walk, approximately 10 minutes uphill from Gojo-zaka bus stop, compared with about 25 minutes on foot from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station to Kiyomizu-dera. The trade-off is that the buses are often crowded and slowed by traffic, while the train is not.
For buses, trains and passes across the whole city, see Getting Around Kyoto.
The uphill walk to Kiyomizu-dera
Short answer
However you arrive, you reach Kiyomizu-dera on foot, and the last part is uphill. From the Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi bus stops, it is about 10 minutes, uphill all the way, on sloping, stone-paved streets lined with shops. From Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, it is about 25 minutes, and the climb starts at Higashioji-dori. From late morning the crowd sets the pace, so go early, wear shoes with grip, and save the stepped lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka for the walk down.
The approach streets
- Gojo-zaka
- The lower slope, climbing east from the Gojo-zaka bus stop on Higashioji-dori toward both entrances.
- Kiyomizu-zaka
- The upper slope and the main approach, lined with shops and ending at the Nio-mon, with stone steps up to the gate. The street in front of the gate is closed to traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Chawan-zaka
- A side slope that climbs to the emergency road entrance. It is the way in for cyclists, who must use the small bicycle parking there, and for vehicles carrying wheelchair users.
- Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka
- Stone-stepped lanes that run north from Kiyomizu-zaka toward Kodai-ji. They are a sightseeing route, not a way into the grounds: easier walked down after the visit than climbed on the way up, and hard going with a wheelchair or stroller. See Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
Before you walk up
- Shoes. Wear flat shoes with grip. The streets slope and are paved in stone, and the route through the grounds has steps, gravel paths and slopes.
- Heat. Kyoto summers are hot and humid, and the walk is uphill. Go early, carry water, and rest in the cafes and tea houses, the only places where eating and drinking are allowed.
- Rain. Wet stone and steps are slippery. Take extra care on Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, and allow more time.
- Children, strollers and older relatives. Keep to Gojo-zaka and Kiyomizu-zaka, which slope rather than step, and at the entrance use the no-step route on the left of the regular path; the temple says every public area of the grounds can be reached without steps. Allow longer than 10 minutes and plan rests.
Avoiding the worst of the journey
- Start early. The temple opens at 6:00 a.m., and the approach and the buses are far quieter before mid-morning, though not empty in peak season.
- Avoid the peaks. Kyoto City notes that buses are most crowded in the cherry blossom and autumn leaf seasons and at commuting times, 7:00 to 9:00 and 18:00 to 19:00. At those times, start by train or take the subway and bus via Kujo.
- Check before you set out. The express buses run only on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. Check the Kyoto City Bus site or a live route planner for the day, and the temple's news page for seasonal events and night viewings.
Accessibility and reduced mobility
Short answer
Kiyomizu-dera says every public area of its grounds can be reached on no-step routes, that a vehicle can bring a wheelchair user close to the Main Hall through the emergency road entrance at the top of Chawan-zaka, and that there are accessible toilets. Getting there is the harder part: the approach streets are steep and crowded, and the route through the grounds has gravel paths and slopes. Wheelchairs are not lent.
- Getting to the area
- Kyoto City buses take wheelchairs, but the routes to Gojo-zaka are often crowded. A taxi, ideally a wheelchair-accessible one booked ahead, avoids the bus, and the temple lets vehicles carrying wheelchair users drive in close to the Main Hall (next row).
- Reaching the entrance
- The temple lets vehicles enter by the emergency road entrance at the top of Chawan-zaka and drive close to the Main Hall. The main gate is at the top of a steep, crowded street with stone steps; from the entrance, a no-step route to the Main Hall runs on the left of the regular path.
- Inside the grounds
- The temple's map for wheelchair users marks a route round the grounds that can be turned back along the way, and warns of gravel paths and slopes. There are accessible toilets on the grounds, the temple map is available at the Todoroki-mon, and wheelchairs cannot be borrowed.
- Admission
- A visitor showing a disability handbook, pass or card at the gate enters free, with one companion.
- Confirm before you go
- For vehicle access or other needs, contact the temple (075-551-1234) before your visit. Its FAQ and wheelchair map are listed in the references below.
Cars, parking and drop-off
The temple has no parking. There is a Kyoto City parking lot nearby and private lots at the foot of the approach, but in the busy seasons all of them fill, and the temple recommends public transport or a taxi. Kyoto City's registered park-and-ride lots offer parking discounts to drivers who continue by public transport. Do not stop on the approach streets: they are packed with pedestrians, and the street in front of the gate is closed to traffic during the day.
The route through Kiyomizu-dera
Short answer
Enter through the vermilion Nio-mon at the top of Kiyomizu-zaka, pass the West Gate and pagoda, cross to the Main Hall and its stage, look back from the Okuno-in, then go down the steps to the Otowa Waterfall. A no-step route to the Main Hall runs on the left of the regular path.
Top of the approach
Nio-mon and the West Gate
The two-story Nio-mon, rebuilt around 1500, is the main entrance. Beyond it stand the West Gate (Sai-mon), rebuilt in 1633, and the three-story pagoda.
Next
The Main Hall and the stage
The Main Hall enshrines the temple's Kannon. Its stage, about 200 square meters of hinoki boards nearly 13 meters above the slope, has the city view. Arrive early and it has room.
Beyond the Main Hall
Okuno-in Hall
A smaller hall with its own stage, directly above the waterfall. The view back to the Main Hall stage is the temple's own recommended photo.
End of the route
The Otowa Waterfall
Down the steps below the Okuno-in, three streams fall from the spring the temple was founded on. Visitors catch the water with ladles. From here the path leads back toward the approach streets.
When to go
Short answer
The temple opens at 6:00 a.m. every day, and the stage is easiest to enjoy in the first hours. Closing time depends on the season, and special night viewings in spring, mid-August and autumn keep it open until 9:30 p.m.
- January 1 to March 26
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 6:00 p.m.
- March 27 to April 5 (spring night viewing)
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 9:30 p.m. (last entry 9:00)
- April 6 to June 30
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 6:00 p.m.
- July 1 to August 31
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 6:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. August 14 to 16)
- September 1 to November 20
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 6:00 p.m.
- November 21 to 30 (autumn night viewing)
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 9:30 p.m. (last entry 9:00)
- December 1 to 31
- Opens: 6:00 a.m.
- Closes: 6:00 p.m.
| Period | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 to March 26 | 6:00 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. |
| March 27 to April 5 (spring night viewing) | 6:00 a.m. | 9:30 p.m. (last entry 9:00) |
| April 6 to June 30 | 6:00 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. |
| July 1 to August 31 | 6:00 a.m. | 6:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. August 14 to 16) |
| September 1 to November 20 | 6:00 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. |
| November 21 to 30 (autumn night viewing) | 6:00 a.m. | 9:30 p.m. (last entry 9:00) |
| December 1 to 31 | 6:00 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. |
The temple publishes its opening hours year by year, and the night-viewing dates change every year. Check its website before planning an evening visit.
- At opening, 6:00 a.m.
- The stage and the approach streets are at their quietest. The shops on Kiyomizu-zaka open later.
- Late morning to afternoon
- The busiest window, especially on the stage and at the waterfall line. Weekends, holidays and the blossom and foliage seasons are busiest.
- Seasons
- The temple gives late March to early April for cherry blossoms and mid-November to early December for autumn leaves, and posts updates on its news page each season.
Fitting Kiyomizu-dera into a Kyoto day
Short answer
Kiyomizu-dera is the southern, uphill end of the Higashiyama walk. Start here early, then walk north and downhill through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, past Kodai-ji and Yasaka Shrine, to Gion. The suggested itineraries turn this into a day.
The Higashiyama walk, in order
Kiyomizu-dera. Start at the top, ideally at the 6:00 a.m. opening, and leave by the Nio-mon.
Down Kiyomizu-zaka to Sannenzaka. Walk back down the main approach and turn right onto the Sannenzaka steps. Going this way, the steps are downhill.
Ninenzaka and the Yasaka Pagoda. Sannenzaka runs into Ninenzaka. The five-story Yasaka Pagoda of Hokan-ji stands just off this stretch, a short detour downhill.
Kodai-ji. Kodai-ji is just above the lanes on Nene-no-michi, the stone-paved path heading north.
Yasaka Shrine and Gion. Continue north to Yasaka Shrine at the top of Shijo-dori, then into Gion, best in the late afternoon and evening.
Walked this way, the climb comes first, when you are fresh, and there is no backtracking. From Gion, buses and Keihan Gion-Shijo Station take you on. Walked the other way, from Gion, the route ends with the climb.
Keihan line from Kiyomizu-Gojo
Fushimi Inari
The Keihan Main Line runs from Kiyomizu-Gojo toward Fushimi Inari, which makes a morning there and an afternoon here workable.
Better on another day
Kinkaku-ji or Arashiyama
Kinkaku-ji and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove are on the opposite side of the city and better on another day.
For choosing between buses and trains across the city, see Getting Around Kyoto.
Things to know before you go
Short answer
Kiyomizu-dera has no parking, bans tripods and drones, and can only be entered from Kiyomizu-zaka or Chawan-zaka. Jishu Shrine is closed. Plan around those and the visit is simple.
Following a map app up the wrong lane
Instead: Only Kiyomizu-zaka (to the Nio-mon) and Chawan-zaka (to the emergency road entrance) reach the grounds. The temple warns that some apps suggest routes that do not.
Planning to visit Jishu Shrine
Instead: It is closed for restoration with no reopening date announced.
Bringing a tripod or drone
Instead: Tripods, monopods and drones are banned, as are wedding, cosplay and model shoots.
Snacking as you walk
Instead: Eat and drink only in the cafes and tea houses; take all trash with you.
Driving there
Instead: There is no temple parking and nearby lots fill in busy seasons. Take the bus or a taxi.
Bringing a pet
Instead: Only service dogs are allowed.
Things to look for at Kiyomizu-dera
The stage, built without nails
Look under the stage from the path below: 18 zelkova pillars, the largest about 12 meters high, are joined by rails that pass through each pillar, with no nails. The temple notes that the stage was built for performances dedicated to Kannon, facing the hall, not only for the view.
The view back from Okuno-in
Okuno-in Hall, above the Otowa Waterfall, has a stage of its own. The temple calls its view of the Main Hall stage with the city behind a favorite photo spot.
The Otowa Waterfall
The temple began at this spring. Visitors catch water from its three streams with long-handled ladles and pray for purification and for their wishes to come true. There is usually a line.
The West Gate at sunset
The Sai-mon, or West Gate, rebuilt in 1633, faces the setting sun and has long been a place for Nissokan, a meditation on the sun setting over the Pure Land.
Jojuin garden
The sub-temple Jojuin has a garden, known as the Moon Garden, that opens to the public only for a short special viewing period each year, with its own fee on top of temple admission. The temple announces the dates, and any evening hours, on its website.
Best Time to Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple
At the 6:00 AM opening; late March to early April for cherry blossoms and mid-November to early December for autumn leaves.
- •The temple opens at 6:00 a.m. every day; that first hour is the best chance of room on the stage.
- •Cherry blossoms: late March to early April. Autumn leaves: mid-November to early December.
- •Special night viewings in spring, mid-August and autumn keep the temple open until 9:30 p.m. The dates change every year; the opening-hours table under When to Go gives the current schedule.
Entry Fee & Hours
| Category | Price (JPY) | Approx. (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | ¥500 | ~$3.3 |
| Elementary and junior high student | ¥200 | ~$1.3 |
- •All public areas of the grounds can be reached on no-step, barrier-free routes, and there are wheelchair-accessible toilets; wheelchairs are not lent. The temple received a barrier-free award from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2011.
- •There is no group discount. A visitor with a disability handbook and one companion enter free on showing it at the gate.
Nearby Attractions
Places on the Higashiyama walk north from Kiyomizu-dera
Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka
Kodai-ji Temple
Yasaka Shrine
Gion District
Nanzen-ji Temple
Two ways to build a day around Kiyomizu-dera
Both start early at Kiyomizu-dera and differ in where the afternoon goes.
The Higashiyama walk
All on foot, ending in Gion in the evening.
From 6:00 a.m.
Kiyomizu-dera at opening: the stage, the Okuno-in and the Otowa Waterfall.
Mid-morning
Down through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka as the shops open, then Kodai-ji.
Afternoon
Yasaka Shrine, then Gion toward evening.
Kiyomizu-dera and Fushimi Inari
Two headline sights, linked by the Keihan line.
Early morning
Fushimi Inari before the crowds.
Late morning
Keihan Main Line to Kiyomizu-Gojo, then about 25 minutes on foot, the last part uphill.
Afternoon
Kiyomizu-dera, then down through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
View references
Kiyomizu-dera
Kyoto City Transportation Bureau
Planning Your Kyoto Trip?
See the full Kyoto destination guide or browse Japan itineraries that include this city.
See all Temples & Shrines across Japan →