Kiyomizu-dera

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺^?), officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清水寺^?) is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto.

The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site.^[1] (It should not be confused with Kiyomizu-dera in Yasugi, Shimane, which is part of the 33-temple route of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage through western Japan.)

Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period.^[2] The temple was founded in 798, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633, during a ordered by the Tokugawa Iemitsu.^[3]

There is not a single nail used in the entire structure.

It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water.^[4][5]

The popular expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression "to take the plunge".^[5] This refers to an Edo period tradition that held that, if one were to survive a 13m jump from the stage, one's wish would be granted. Two hundred thirty-four jumps were recorded in the Edo period and, of those, 85.4% survived.^[5] The practice is now prohibited.^[5]

Beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. Visitors can catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting powers.

The temple complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and "good matches".^[4] Jishu Shrine possesses a pair of "love stones" placed 6 meters/20 feet apart, which lonely visitors can try to walk between with their eyes closed. Success in reaching the other stone with their eyes closed implies that the pilgrim will find love, or true love.^[9] One can be assisted in the crossing, but this is taken to mean that a go-between will be needed. The person's romantic interest can assist them as well.

The Heian period (平安時代 Heian jidai^?) is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185.^[1] The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. 
The Edo period (江戸時代 Edo jidai^?), or Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa jidai^?) is the period between 1603 to 1868 in the history of Japan when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional Daimyo. The period was characterized by economic growth, strict social orders, isolationist foreign policies, an increase in both environmental protection and popular enjoyment of arts and culture.