of tour groups there. This video was photographed in the off-season

which was the first week of December and even then it was fairly busy -- comfortable, nice

to have some other people around, so no problem, but if you're here in the peak season during

the summer in the middle of the day there will be so many people you'll have a hard

time getting to the railing to enjoy a clear view of the beautiful scenery.

The main hall is the most spectacular single item here. It’s up on large wooden stilts

and designated as a national treasure. Large verandas and main halls like this were

constructed at many popular sites in the past to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims.

And then we have the views looking out across from the main hall into downtown.

Looking up towards the temple which is up on the hillside.

An old tradition that held that if you could survive a 13 meter jump from the stage, your

wish would be granted. Over 200 people jumped, most of them surviving, but that practice

is now prohibited. You can also buy good luck charms and various

kiosks here and omikugi which are the paper fortunes, and incense and various other talismans.

Shoppers will be kept quite busy at the various kiosks and you can also get a bite to eat

at some of the food stands. The word Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure

water. The Otowa waterfall runs off the nearby hills in three channels of water that fall

into a fountain. Visitors can catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting

powers. And it’s said you will gain health, longevity, and success in studies by drinking

from the three different streams. These typical incense burners offer a smoke

that's designed to chase away the evil spirits. The temple is actually so old that it predates

Kyoto itself. It dates back to the 700s, before Kyoto was founded as a city. Of course the

structures have been rebuilt numerous times since then. Most of the structures have been

rebuilt numerous times since then. There are some 30 buildings here and most were constructed

in the early Edo period, in the early 1630s. And the different altars and shrines within

the temple grounds -- Images of the Buddha here and there in the different altars and

shrines within the temple grounds. There's a Shinto shrine just as part of the

temple complex as you often find here, the Buddhist and the Shinto blended together,

the two religions harmoniously coexisting in Japan.

Kiyomizu-dera has something for everyone. First of all it's an important religious site

where serious pilgrims come to pray; young people come looking for good fortune; visitors

arrive to see the sites; history buffs have much to admire; shoppers are made happy by

vendors; and all fall under the spell of Kyoto's most popular temple.

During the busy seasons this temple gets extremely crowded with the tour groups. They come by

the busloads. But generally, early December is a wonderful time to be touring the temples

of Kyoto. It's just not very crowded. There's a monk waiting to receive some offerings.

This is part of our series on the temples and gardens of Eastern Kyoto, the Higashiyama

district, and also we’ll take you downtown in some of our other videos. Be sure to look

for them on our YouTube channel.