Otowa Waterfall
What is the Otowa Waterfall?
Kiyomizu-dera began at this waterfall, and the temple takes its name, "pure water", from it. Its water has long been called Konjiki-sui ("golden water") and Enmei-sui ("life-prolonging water"), and is used for purification.
What do the three streams mean?
The water falls in three streams. Visitors catch it with long-handled ladles and pray for the purification of the six senses and for their wishes to come true.
You may read that each stream brings a different blessing. English guides disagree on which stream is which, and the temple describes all three together, so we don't assign them. Until the temple confirms it, treat any such list with care.
Where is it?
It is directly below Okunoin Hall.
See the view from Okunoin, right above itWhen is it least crowded?
The whole temple is quietest right after the gate opens at 6:00, before 8:00, and busiest from 10:00 to 16:00. We don't have separate crowd data for the waterfall yet, so this is the pattern for the temple as a whole.
See how crowded it is right nowSee the quietest hours and daysLast checked: on the official Kiyomizu-dera website.
Questions
- What is the Otowa Waterfall at Kiyomizu-dera?
- Kiyomizu-dera began at this waterfall, and the temple takes its name, "pure water", from it. Its water has long been called Konjiki-sui ("golden water") and Enmei-sui ("life-prolonging water"), and is used for purification.
- Which of the three streams should I drink from?
- The temple describes the three streams together: you catch the water to purify your six senses and pray for your wishes to come true. Many guides give each stream a different meaning, but they disagree on which is which, so we do not.
- Where is the Otowa Waterfall?
- It is directly below Okunoin Hall.