Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺
Kyoto, Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site
This Kita-Hossō sect temple is built in the kakezukuri style and is dedicated to Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteśvara. It is a National Treasure of Japan and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage. It is the 11th most looked-up sight in Japan on English Wikipedia.
Planning a visit
The temple is open Monday through Sunday from 06:00 to 18:00. Admission is ¥400 for adults and ¥200 for children aged 6–15, and wheelchair access is available. The site is in the Higashiyama mountain range, 363 km from Tokyo. The nearest airport is Osaka Itami International Airport, which is 39 km away. Nearby sights include Yasaka Shrine (1.1 km), Sanjūsangen-dō (1.4 km), Kyōto Station (2.6 km), Nishi Hongan-ji (3.1 km), and Fushimi Inari-taisha (3.2 km).
Weather changes throughout the year. July and August are the warmest months, with daily highs of 29 °C and 31 °C. June is the wettest month with 200 mm of rain. The coldest months are January and December, with daily lows of -1 °C and 2 °C. April and October offer milder temperatures, with daily highs of 18 °C and 21 °C, while May has a high of 22 °C.
Weather by month
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 31 °C. The wettest is June, with about 200 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 7 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 21 | 15 | 10 |
| Average low, °C | -1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 2 |
| Rainfall, mm | 61 | 74 | 112 | 110 | 152 | 200 | 199 | 114 | 166 | 118 | 75 | 56 |
| Rainy days | 16 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 17 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
