Kiyomizu-dera (Yasugi)

Kiyomizu-dera in Yasugi, Shimane, is the 28th station of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and the foremost Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) training hall in the San'in region. The Konpondō main hall, reconstructed in 1393, is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property; the three-story pagoda is the only such pagoda in San'in. This is institutionally distinct from the famous Kyoto Kiyomizu-dera, the Banshū (Hyōgo) Kiyomizu-dera, and the Chiba Kiyomizu-dera.

Kiyomizu-dera (full name Zuikōzan Kiyomizu-dera, 瑞光山清水寺) sits on Mt. Zuikō in Yasugi, eastern Shimane Prefecture — about 8 km south of JR Yasugi Station and 15 to 20 minutes by car from Yonago Station across the Tottori border. As the 28th station of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, it is one of four temples in Japan that share the 'Kiyomizu' (清水, 'pure water') name and an associated origin tradition involving spring water and Kannon devotion. The Yasugi temple is institutionally distinct from the famous Kiyomizu-dera in Higashiyama, Kyoto; from the Banshū Kiyomizu-dera in Katō, Hyōgo; and from the Otowasan Kiyomizu-dera in Isumi, Chiba. Each is a separate institution with its own lineage; this page is exclusively about the Yasugi temple.

By temple tradition, the monk Sōnryū founded the temple in 587 CE after being guided by a divine vision to a mountain spring of pure water. The historical date is uncertain, and the temple is reliably documented as a major Tendai institution by the 9th-century revival around 806. The Konpondō (main hall) was reconstructed in 1393 and renovated in 1992 — the oldest surviving structure in the precinct and a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. The complex was destroyed during the Sengoku-period Amago–Mōri war and rebuilt during the Edo period under Matsue Domain patronage; the current three-story pagoda dates to this Edo-period rebuilding and is, distinctively, the only three-story pagoda in the San'in region.

Kiyomizu-dera is designated the foremost training hall for Tendai esotericism (taimitsu) in San'in. The honzon is Jūichimen Kannon (Eleven-faced Kannon), an esoteric Kannon form invoked specifically for purification, exorcism, and protection from calamity. The temple has been worshipped for over a millennium as a place to drive away evil spirits and bad fortune (yakuyoke), and pilgrims still arrive specifically for this rite. Within the precincts, Momijikan serves Buddhist vegetarian shōjin ryōri by reservation, and overnight pilgrim lodging is available.

Founded 587 CE per temple tradition by the monk Sōnryū after a divine vision of pure spring water; revived in 806 during the early Tendai era; the 1393 Konpondō is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property; complex destroyed in the Amago–Mōri Sengoku war and rebuilt in the Edo period under Matsue Domain patronage; the three-story pagoda is the only one in San'in.

Temple tradition holds that the monk Sōnryū (尊隆上人) founded Kiyomizu-dera in 587 CE after being guided by a divine vision to a mountain spring of pure water. The historical date is uncertain. The temple was revived in 806 CE — the era of the rise of Tendai in Japan under Saichō and the early disciples — and entered the documentary record as a major Tendai institution by the late Heian period.

The Konpondō was reconstructed in 1393 (Muromachi period) and renovated in 1992; this is the oldest surviving structure in the precinct and the temple's nationally designated Important Cultural Property. During the Sengoku period the complex was destroyed in the Amago–Mōri war that ravaged the San'in region, and rebuilding proceeded during the Edo period under the patronage of the Matsue Domain. The current three-story pagoda — the only such pagoda in the San'in region and a Shimane Prefecture-designated Tangible Cultural Property — dates from this Edo-period rebuilding.

Four temples in Japan share the 'Kiyomizu' name and a Kannon-and-spring-water founding tradition: Higashiyama (Kyoto), Banshū (Hyōgo), Otowasan (Chiba/Isumi), and Yasugi (Shimane). Each is institutionally distinct from the others, with separate lineages and histories. The Yasugi temple is the one designated the 28th station of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and the foremost Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) training hall in San'in. The honzon is Jūichimen Kannon (Eleven-faced Kannon), and the temple's identity as a place to drive away evil spirits — yakuyoke — has been continuous for the better part of 1,400 years.

The historicity of the 587 founding by Sōnryū, like most very early temple founding accounts in western Japan, is not securely documentable from contemporary records. The exact succession of head priests across the medieval period is also not fully recoverable. What is reliably documented is the 1393 Konpondō, the Edo-period three-story pagoda, the prefectural-level cultural property status of the pagoda, and the temple's modern designation as the foremost taimitsu training hall in San'in.

Kiyomizu-dera is a Tendai temple in the lineage of Saichō and the early disciples, anchored in the Mount Hiei headquarters of the school and designated the foremost Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) training hall in the San'in region. Its 1,400-year tradition of yakuyoke devotion to the Jūichimen Kannon honzon distinguishes its devotional identity from the other Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, Hyōgo, and Chiba.

A San'in Tendai esoteric mountain temple where 1,400 years of yakuyoke devotion, the 1393 Konpondō, and San'in's only three-story pagoda meet on a forested ridge — institutionally distinct from the other Kiyomizu-dera.

The first thing to settle for any visitor is the disambiguation. There are at least four distinct Kiyomizu-dera in Japan: in Higashiyama, Kyoto; in Katō, Hyōgo (Banshū Kiyomizu-dera); in Isumi, Chiba (Otowasan Kiyomizu-dera); and the Yasugi temple in Shimane. Each is a separate institution with its own founding, sectarian, and architectural history. The shared 'Kiyomizu' name reflects a common iconographic theme — pure spring water as a sign of Kannon's compassionate presence — rather than any administrative link. The Yasugi temple is the one designated the 28th station of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and the foremost Tendai esoteric training hall in the San'in region.

The quality of thinness here rests on a long stone path through an ancient grove rising to the Konpondō — a Muromachi-period (1393) hall whose age is among the oldest in San'in. The architectural integrity of the Konpondō, the only three-story pagoda in the San'in region, and the yakuyoke devotion together produce a deeply layered atmosphere: the Tendai esoteric reading of Jūichimen Kannon as a Bosatsu of purification anchors a 1,400-year tradition of warding off evil from this mountain. Pilgrims often describe the long forested approach as the practice of leaving burdens behind before entering the main hall.

The second register is regional and contemporary. Kiyomizu-dera is the foremost Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) training hall in San'in — a designation that gives the temple living monastic significance beyond pilgrimage tourism. The seasonal blue/green dragon dance procession, the Momijikan shōjin ryōri restaurant within the grounds, and the temple's overnight lodging extend the visit into a longer contemplative practice for those who reserve in advance. Mid-November to early December brings vivid maple foliage; cherry blossoms in late March and early April are the spring counterpart. December through March, lodging and meal reservations are not accepted, and the temple returns to a quieter monastic register.

Daily Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) liturgy at the Konpondō; Jūichimen Kannon devotion and yakuyoke kitōshiki rites; pilgrim sutra-stamping for Chūgoku #28; shōjin ryōri at Momijikan and overnight pilgrim lodging by reservation.

The temple's liturgy follows Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) practice — recitation of the Kannon-kyō and Hannya Shingyō at the Jūichimen Kannon honzon, with goma fire rituals on scheduled days. Yakuyoke (warding off misfortune) prayer rites have been the temple's distinctive lay-facing practice for 1,400 years; pilgrims and lay visitors arrive specifically to receive these prayers, particularly during life transitions or before exams, marriages, and travel. The blue/green dragon dance procession is held in spring and autumn, and the Konpondō's central role in regional Tendai practice continues.

Chūgoku 33 Kannon pilgrims arrive year-round for the #28 nōkyō stamp at the temple office. Momijikan, the shōjin ryōri restaurant within the grounds, serves Tendai-tradition Buddhist vegetarian meals by reservation; bookings are not accepted from December 1 through the end of March. Overnight pilgrim lodging is available by advance reservation through the temple website. Mid-November to early December brings the foliage peak and the largest visitor numbers; the spring blossom and dragon-dance season is the second peak.

Allow 1.5 to 3 hours for a focused visit; longer if combining with shōjin ryōri or an overnight stay. Walk slowly through the long stone path and the ancient grove — the approach is structurally part of the practice. At the Konpondō, light incense, offer at the saisen box, and chant or quietly listen before the Jūichimen Kannon honzon. Climb the three-story pagoda for the regional view and consider requesting a yakuyoke kitōshiki at the temple office. Pilgrims should bring nōkyō-chō for the Chūgoku #28 stamp.

A long stone path through an ancient grove rises to the 1393 Konpondō; the three-story pagoda — the only one in San'in — stands within the precinct. Shōjin ryōri is served at Momijikan by reservation, and the temple offers overnight pilgrim lodging.

Reaching Kiyomizu-dera is most straightforward by car or taxi: about 15 to 20 minutes from JR Yonago Station and 8 km south of JR Yasugi Station. Bus connections from Yasugi Station are available but infrequent. The address is Kiyomizu, Yasugi, Shimane.

From the trailhead the precinct opens onto a long stone path through an ancient grove of trees. The walk is unhurried and the path's length is itself part of the temple's structure: the 1,400-year tradition of yakuyoke (warding off evil) imagines the approach as a release of accumulated misfortune before reaching the Konpondō. The Konpondō, the main hall reconstructed in 1393, is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and one of the older surviving wooden temple structures in San'in. Inside, the Jūichimen Kannon honzon stands at the public altar; pilgrims light incense, drop a saisen coin, and chant the Kannon-kyō or the Hannya Shingyō.

The three-story pagoda — the only such pagoda in the San'in region — stands within the precinct and can be climbed for panoramic views over the wooded ridge. The temple office issues the Chūgoku 33 Kannon #28 nōkyō stamp and arranges yakuyoke prayers (kitōshiki) for those who request them.

Momijikan, a shōjin ryōri (Buddhist vegetarian) restaurant within the temple grounds, serves elaborate Tendai-tradition meals by reservation; bookings are not accepted from December 1 through the end of March. Overnight lodging is available at the temple by advance reservation. The blue/green dragon dance procession is held in spring (March or April) and again in autumn — confirm dates directly with the temple. Mid-November to early December is the peak for vivid maple foliage; quieter visits are possible on weekday mornings and outside the foliage season.

By car or taxi, drive 15 to 20 minutes from JR Yonago Station or 8 km south of JR Yasugi Station; bus connections are infrequent. From the trailhead, walk the long stone path through the ancient grove to the Konpondō. Light incense, offer at the saisen box, and chant before the Jūichimen Kannon honzon. Climb the three-story pagoda for panoramic views, and request yakuyoke prayers at the temple office if desired. Bring nōkyō-chō for the Chūgoku #28 stamp. To deepen the visit, reserve a Momijikan shōjin ryōri lunch (April–November) or arrange an overnight stay through the temple website.

Kiyomizu-dera in Yasugi is the foremost Tendai esoteric training hall in San'in — a Muromachi-period Konpondō and Edo-period three-story pagoda set on a forested mountain ridge, with a 1,400-year tradition of yakuyoke devotion. The visit rewards holding clear that this is the Yasugi temple, institutionally distinct from the famous Kyoto, Banshū (Hyōgo), and Otowasan (Chiba) temples of the same name.

Modern scholarship treats the Yasugi Kiyomizu-dera as a major Tendai temple by the late Heian period, with the 1393 Konpondō among the older surviving wooden temple structures in San'in and the Edo-period three-story pagoda the only such pagoda in the region. The historicity of the 587 founding by Sōnryū, like most very early Japanese temple founding accounts, is not securely documentable from contemporary records. The Yasugi temple is institutionally distinct from the Kiyomizu-dera in Higashiyama (Kyoto), the Banshū Kiyomizu-dera in Katō (Hyōgo), and the Otowasan Kiyomizu-dera in Isumi (Chiba); the shared 'Kiyomizu' name reflects a common iconographic theme of pure spring water and Kannon devotion rather than any administrative link.

Temple tradition narrates the 587 founding by Sōnryū after a vision of pure spring waters and the 'temple to drive away evil' identity central to local lay practice. Within Tendai esoteric (taimitsu) reading, the Eleven-faced Kannon is invoked specifically for purification, exorcism, and protection from calamity — connecting honzon and the temple's yakuyoke identity. The 'Kiyomizu' (pure water) name carries the Tendai meditative theme of the Buddha-mind as a clear spring.

Many regional visitors approach Kiyomizu-dera primarily as a yakuyoke temple — a place to leave behind misfortune before life transitions, exams, marriages, and major travel. The long stone path through the ancient grove, the felt sense of accumulated calm at the Konpondō, and the Momijikan shōjin ryōri experience extend the visit into a longer contemplative practice for those who arrive with this register in mind.

{"The historicity of the 587 founding by Sōnryū is not securely documentable from contemporary records","The exact succession of head priests across the medieval period is not fully recoverable from surviving documents","Specific dates for the spring and autumn blue/green dragon dance processions vary by year — confirm directly with the temple","The 'Otowa-style' spring-water ritual at the Yasugi site is less documented than at the Kyoto Kiyomizu-dera and should not be assumed identical"}

Address: Kiyomizu, Yasugi, Shimane. About 15 to 20 minutes by car or taxi from JR Yonago Station, or 8 km south of JR Yasugi Station; bus connections infrequent. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours for the precinct, longer with shōjin ryōri or overnight stay. Reservations for meals and lodging not accepted December through March.

Address: Kiyomizu, Yasugi, Shimane. By car or taxi: about 15 to 20 minutes from JR Yonago Station; 8 km south of JR Yasugi Station. By public transport: bus connections from Yasugi Station are available but infrequent — confirm timetables before traveling. Mobile phone signal is generally available on major Japanese carriers.

The temple offers overnight pilgrim lodging by advance reservation (April through November); Momijikan within the grounds serves shōjin ryōri lunches by reservation in the same window. Lodgings are also widely available in Yasugi, Yonago, and Matsue.

Standard Tendai mountain-temple etiquette: modest, comfortable clothing; sturdy walking shoes for the stone path and steps; remove shoes when entering wooden hall interiors; check signage before photographing inside the halls.

Kiyomizu-dera is a working Tendai esoteric training hall and a regional center of yakuyoke practice. Etiquette standards are those of any active Japanese Tendai temple. Pilgrim attire — white robes (hakui), sedge hat (sugegasa), walking stick (kongō-zue) — is welcome but not required. Bow at the precinct gate, walk through the long approach with quiet attention, and make your offerings at the Konpondō with the standard sequence of incense, saisen, and prayer.

Shoes should be removed when entering the wooden hall interiors. Photography is generally permitted in the outdoor precincts and grounds; check signage before photographing inside the halls, particularly during liturgy or kitōshiki rites. During the spring or autumn blue/green dragon dance procession, follow signage about photography and viewing areas. For overnight lodging or shōjin ryōri, observe standard temple-stay etiquette: quiet voices, respect for monastic schedules, and dietary cooperation.

Modest, comfortable; sturdy walking shoes for the stone path and forest steps. Pilgrim attire welcome.

Permitted in the precincts and grounds; check signage in the halls and during liturgy.

Saisen, incense, and candle offerings are standard; goshuin fee at the office. Yakuyoke kitōshiki rites carry separate offering scales.

Remove shoes when entering wooden hall interiors | Reservations required for shōjin ryōri at Momijikan and overnight lodging | Reservations not accepted December 1 through end of March | Three-story pagoda stairs are narrow — not suitable for those with mobility difficulty | Follow signage during dragon dance processions

Nearby sacred places create the location cluster described in the growth plan. This block is intentionally crawlable and links into the wider regional graph.

Daisen-ji

Daisen, Japan

23.0 km away

Ichihata-ji

Izumo, Japan

38.4 km away

Gakuen-ji (Ichijō-in)

Izumo, Japan

48.3 km away

Izumo Taisha (Izumo Grand Shrine)

Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan

54.1 km away