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| Kiyomizu-dera-Gion, Kyoto | |
Kiyomizu-dera ("Pure Water Temple") is one of the most famous and popular Buddhist temple in Japan. Kiyomizu-dera is also part of the seventeen UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto. The main hall with its wooden stage hovering 13 meters above ground is a masterpiece of Japanese temple architecture and a tourist hotspot. Interesting to know there was no nail used for the entire structure. The temple was built on the site of the Otowa Waterfall. The waterfalls pure water was the name giver for the temple. The whole temple complex covers an area of over 130,000 square meters and includes several other buildings like the Okunoin Hall, Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Okuninushi, a god of love and "good matches".
Kiyomizu-dera was founded in 778. The temple complex was destroyed many times by fire and earthquakes. The buildings today were constructed between 1631 to 1633 by the order of shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604 - 1651). The temple was linked in the past to the old Hosso sect, but in 1965 the priests formed the new independent Kita Hosso sect under the leadership of Onishi Ryokei (1875 - 1983). Kiyomizu-dera is since 1994 part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. |
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| Issued Country | Japan |
| Issued Year | 2008 |
| Category | Buddhist Architect World Heritage Buddhist Arts |
| Type | Commemorative/Special Stamps |