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Sight Higashiyama, Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera

A sight in Higashiyama, Kyoto, budget-friendly ($) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Early morning.

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Kiyomizu-dera in Higashiyama, Kyoto
Photo: Jordy Meow · CC BY-SA 3.0 · license

Why go

Hillside temple with a wooden stage over the trees and views across the city.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Kyoto, alongside 3 sights, 2 bars & cafés and 2 places to eat. The closest of our other picks is Hanamikoji Street, 1.5 km away as the crow flies.

Type
Sight · Culture
Neighborhood
Higashiyama
Price
$
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Early morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Kyoto, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Hanamikoji Street

    Gion's main lane of wooden teahouses where geiko and maiko are sometimes seen at dusk.

    Sight · 1.5 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Pontocho Alley

    Narrow lantern-lit lane of restaurants and bars along the Kamo River.

    Drinks · 1.6 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Nishiki Market

    Covered five-block food market for pickles, tamagoyaki, tofu and knives.

    Food · 2.2 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Fushimi Inari Taisha

    Thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount Inari behind the main shrine.

    Sight · 3.0 km straight-line
  5. 5
    Philosopher's Path

    Canal-side walk lined with cherry trees between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji.

    Outdoors · 3.1 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Omen Ginkakuji

    Long-running udon restaurant serving thick noodles with seasonal vegetables to add yourself.

    Food · 3.6 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Kiyomizu-dera is a stop on our Japan Golden Route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More sights to see in Kyoto

Another curated sight in Kyoto. See the full Kyoto guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Kyoto run from 7°C in January to 31°C in August; July is usually the wettest month. For Kiyomizu-dera itself, we suggest: Early morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Kyoto from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Kyoto weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Kiyomizu-dera, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
1-chōme-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan
Coordinates
34.99467, 135.78466
Destination
Kyoto, Japan
Website
kiyomizudera.or.jp

Kiyomizu-dera: quick answers

How much time do you need at Kiyomizu-dera?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Kiyomizu-dera. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Kiyomizu-dera?

Our pick: Early morning. Insider tip: Walk down via Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka lanes.

Where is Kiyomizu-dera?

Kiyomizu-dera is at 1-chōme-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Kiyomizu-dera?

Kiyomizu-dera appears on Japan Golden Route, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Kiyomizu-dera to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Kyoto.

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Also in Kyoto

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.