About

Feel the moments
of dedication.

The FEEL KIYOMIZUDERA project, launched in 2012, has strived to capture each individual momentary beauty of the temple, including the transient seasons, visitors coming and going, and thousands of scenes of prayer. As Kiyomizu-dera Temple presents a range of vistas depending on the season, its 1200-odd-year history comprises countless varied moments. Embracing the essence of the temple, the project has continuously shared Kiyomizu’s fascinating stories with the world.
Above all, what we have sought to express in particular is the manner in which “praying” should be understood. Since Kiyomizu-dera Temple has long been supported by the devout public as a Kannon Reijo (holy ground), a multitude of diverse prayers are offered. Across the holy ground, sitting on Mt. Otowa, it seems as if everywhere countless invisible threads of prayer for people and world peace are interwoven.
Praying is more than just the act of joining your hands together. Prayers embrace feelings of gratitude for peaceful daily lives and embody neighborly care. Listening to the voice of nature with finely-honed senses is also one form of prayer. Reflecting on yourself and entering a state of nonattachment―these series of acts are the exact embodiment of prayer.
Since ancient times, art has met science in Kiyomizu as single-minded, assiduous spirits, which are essential to artists and academics, have surely been regarded in the same sense as prayer.
Into the future, Kiyomizu-dera Temple will seek to promote countless moments of one’s dedication and single-hearted pursuit of excellence beyond all boundaries. Combining these moments with diverse scenes of prayer, while exhibiting experimental expression in various forms, we are committed to exploring what a Buddhist temple should be in a hundred or a thousand years forward.

Respectfully yours,