Kiyomizu-dera

****Must see tourist spot! The road leading up to temple has many restaurants and gift shops. We went on emperor's birthday and it was jam packed with people, but not that bad. We were able to eat, look at gifts and visits the temple. Very beautiful. Especially, if go when the cherry blossoms bloom.

There are 4-5 spots to take beautiful photos, so you need to keep 1-2 hours for this temple only.

Be aware of the tourism season. Nice weather is good for nice photos.

Kimono dressing is a plus for photo taking.

The water fall area need to line up for a while, and so does the fortune sticks.

Prepare for ¥5 or ¥50 for praying.

Don’t try to come here around 1700 because everyone is going back and there will be traffic jam.

A nice place to walk through right before sunset; you get a rather epic view of Kyoto in the background and the temples in the foreground. Also, many smiling faces of fellow travellers, everyone was cool though, despite the crowds.

It was fairly crowded climbing up to the temple, but as the sun fell and because they did not seem to light the temple or pagoda much, crowds diminished, likely due to poorer photo opportunities in low light, ha ha.

As the clock approached 6:00pm though, the staff announced the gates will be closing at 6:00pm, without any indication if that meant trapping inside anyone who did not descend in time, ha ha. I did make it out just in time so I did not have to scout out a comfortable patch of dirt to sleep on had I been sealed in for the night.

The structure itself certainly has a mystic atmosphere to it, especially at night. The intentional low lighting inside the temple really draws you in. The darkness inside feels uninviting at first, but walking through it your eyes adjust to reveal all the amazing details.

The path down the hill is well lit, and it’s a pleasant stroll through the alleyway markets at night. Around 6:00pm things began closing though.

Overall, nice place 👌

The most impressive and beautiful Buddhist temple in Kyoto. Get there early to beat the crowd. Amazing view of the city since it's built over a waterfall. I came here back in 2015 when it was under repairs, so it's great to see the temple in its fully repaired form in 2024.

It was an amazing place in a sunny day. Winter is less crowded and quite enjoyable. Just spend some time walking around and enjoying the view.

It is possible to visit the temple (the part accessible to tourists). It is interesting to have a look, but the nicest part is outside.

Must visit temple in Kyoto. If you have time to visit only one temple, this should be it!! We visited after dark in November as there were special opening hours during the fall season. The night illumination along with the fall colors is a beautiful experience. There is a viewing platform (stage) to get a nice view of Kyoto city. Get there for the best photos of the city and Kyoto tower as well. As this is such a popular attraction, you cannot avoid large number of tourists no matter when you go. If you have a chance, visit it at dusk to experience it in daylight and night time as well

A beautiful place to visit, lovely scenery, so relaxing and peaceful. We didn’t come on a weekend so it was extra busy but the architecture was breathtaking.

It was a trek to get up, but it was definitely worth it. We passed the traditional stores and bought a few items as souvenirs.

A beautiful temple that is very famous. It's in every tourist book of Japan you've probably ever seen. Avoid going on weekends or public holidays at all costs! If you want to have some time alone here it's probably best to go really early or really late in the day.

The view is spectacular and even with all the people it's still worth a visit.

Absolutely beautiful!
Extremely busy. Can be shoulder to shoulder. Closes at 6pm.
If you want access to the overlook that has a view of Kyoto, You'll need to purchase a ticket on the right once you've climbed all the stairs.
It'll be 400yen I believe.
I feel it was worth it.

Magical place, beautiful views! Get in early to avoid the crowd. Rush hour gets hectic and your photos will be full of people.

It's easy enough to get to with lots of buses stopping by the foot of the street

A nice and beautiful temple for Kannon. As i was there during winter, the weather was definitely great during the walkabout.

Many great points to grab great pictures for memories.

Note: The walk up to the temple from the main road is long and up slope at certain points. Wear good walking shoes. Can be challenging for some.

Awe inspiring wooden architecture and wonderful views of the forest, mountains, and Kyoto city. It is easily accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. Signs will guide you up the left side for the accessible entrance. Expect large crowds going up the main road, if you want to avoid the crowd, there is another road on the right that leads up to the temple, also accessible by wheelchair and strollers. If you’re looking for a peaceful place to pray, don’t expect this to be it. Large tourist and student groups were there.

Despite all the crowds (and as I understand it is a low season) it is a must to visit in Kyoto. It offers some iconic views of the city combined with oriental architectural structures. And it also gives you a chance to explore spiritual side of the temple.

The temple is majestic and is definitely worth visiting. There are huge numbers of visitors from organised groups like schools and tourists from all around the world, so it's better to alight from further away and walk in from a distance to avoid getting trapped in your taxi. The temple felt amazingly tranquil and peaceful despite the endless visitors pouring in.

The shops leading to the temple were interesting, selling souvenirs and snacks.

Overall, the visiting experience was good regardless of the crowd.

The road to the temple is extremely crowded during the autumn foliage season (probably the same as cherry blossom season). But the foliage is the most epic and best I've ever seen!! There are also a lot of matcha and local snacks along the way and they are really good to eat and many things to see.

Highly recommend!! I would definitely come back to see different views in different seasons.

Best views to Kyoto! Also if you be there end of November, then you will enjoy all verity of red Japanese maples. This place is very crowded, better to come before 9 am. On the way up and down there are many touristic souvenir shops, those are open from 9 am

It’s beautifully constructed and along the street up to the temple there are a lot of food and things to buy. Most of the time the temple is under maintenance, but we were lucky this time it wasn’t. Best to capture the sunset, and temple close at 6pm.

This is the landmark of Kyoto. Definitely worth visiting to see the cultural heritage, architecture and nature. I went here in summer and it is already beautiful. I visit this time in late fall and the color of the places is incredible. I feel like I am living in a novel.

Kiyomizu-dera was a stunning visit in Kyoto. There are many extravagant, beautifully built temples and structures. The walking trails are beautiful and fun to go through. This is a wonderful sight!

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is one of the signature World Heritage sites in Kyoto with over 1200 years of history. It is worth making a visit.

Its well-known wooden stage juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside affords nice views.

I highly recommend spending ample time exploring the shops at Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka (Kyoto's Historical Sloped Alleyways that leads directly to Kiyomizu-dera)!