Japan Tokyo — Kiyomizu Kannon-dō Temple and Ueno-Kōen Park

Back to the Beginning Tokyo — Higashi-Ueno District The Strange World of Manga Tokyo — Kiyomizu Kannon-dō Temple and Ueno-Kōen Park Tokyo — Benzaiten Temple Tokyo — Rinnō-ji Temple Nikkō — Tochigi Prefecture Logistics, what I was doing there, Russian MW radio stations audible in Japan, and maps

Kiyomizu Kannon-dō Temple, Ueno-Kōen Park

Kiyomizu Kannon-dō Buddhist temple is in Tokyo's Ueno-Kōen Park. This was Tokyo's first public park, and is now one of the largest parks in the city.

The park occupies the former site of the Kanei-ji Temple, built by Tokugawa shōguns to guard Edo Castle against the unlucky direction of north-east. The temple was destroyed during the Boshin War, a civil war in 1868-1869. Emperor Taisho granted a large tract of land in 1924, leading to its establishment as a public park.

This is the Temple of Pure Water, as kiyo (清) means clear or pure, and mizu (水) means water.

The temple was built in 1631. Its design was inspired by the Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyōtō, although this is a much smaller temple. It is one of the oldest temples in Tokyo, and has been recognized as a national treasure.

A water trough (chōzuya) has ladles to ritually purify your hands and mouth before entering.

And the water, of course, is pure! Kiyo-mizu.

At left is a rack holding wooden plaques on which visitors have written prayers.

Here you have a closer view of the chōzuya and prayer plaques.

Notice the intricately eroded rock, an auspicious natural piece of art.

This redwood or cedar rack holds prayer plaques left by visitors.

Here is another rack for prayers which have been written on small sheets and tied around cords.

Stone lanterns, carvings, and an auspicious boulder stand beside the temple.

The temple is open.

Its principal image is a seated figure of Senjo-Kannon, the Thousand-Armed Goddess of Mercy. It is a secret image, usually kept in a minature shrine but shown to the public on a special day in February.

Another sacred figure here is Kosodate Kannon, the Goddess of Child-Rearing.

Women who have difficulty conceiving make homage to her. Those who have had their wish for a child fulfilled return to the temple, leaving a doll as a gesture of thanks and praying for the good health of their child. All the dolls accumulated over the past year are burned in an annual ceremony on September 25.

Stone lanterns beside the temple porch.

Click here for much more information on Japanese Buddhism and the beautiful Kiyomizu Temple in Kyōtō.

Japan

Back to the Beginning Tokyo — Higashi-Ueno District The Strange World of Manga Tokyo — Kiyomizu Kannon-dō Temple and Ueno-Kōen Park Next — Tokyo — Benzaiten Temple Tokyo — Rinnō-ji Temple Nikkō — Tochigi Prefecture Logistics, what I was doing there, Russian MW radio stations audible in Japan, and maps

Back to the Travel Recommendations

Home Unix/Linux Networking Cybersecurity Travel Technical Radio Site Map Contact

Tweet