Ritual purification tsukubai next to pagoda at right, Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple, Kyoto, Japan

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Kiyomizu-dera is an ancient Buddhist temple located on Otowa-san (Otowa mountain to the east of Kyoto. It was founded in the Heian period in 798 AD, but the present building date to 1633 AD. The current custodians belong to the kitahossa sect. Notably it was constructed from wood without using a single nail in the entire structure. A waterfall, Otowa-no-taki, is contained within the complex that is though to have wish granting properties. The water gives its name to the temple; kiyomizu means pure water. A tsukurbai (ritual purification station) is located by the three story pagoda, Sanjuno-ji.

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Size: 5000px × 3333px
Location: Kiyomizudera, Kyoto, Japan
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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