A Hidden Corner Behind the Okunoin

Reaching the Nurete Kannon requires passing through the most photographed parts of Kiyomizu-dera — the sweeping wooden stage of the main hall, the three-storey pagoda, the vermilion gate — and then climbing past the Okunoin, the smaller suspended-construction hall jutting out from the hillside. Once you round the back of that structure, the crowds thin dramatically. The statue sits in a small, still pond surrounded by a stone tamagaki fence, almost invisible among the mossy rocks and dripping trees. It is described by visitors as standing quietly, a sharp contrast to the grand spectacle of the main hall a few metres away.↗↗

Nearby, another beloved statue, the Fureai Kannon ("Touch-and-Love Kannon"), invites worshippers to stroke its smooth, polished surface — evidence of countless hands seeking blessing. The Nurete Kannon offers a complementary sensory experience: water instead of touch.↗

Visiting the Statue

The Nurete Kannon is part of the Kiyomizu-dera temple grounds, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the eastern slopes of Mount Otowa in Higashiyama Ward. The temple opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM (slightly varying by season), with an admission fee of ¥400. The path to the statue begins from the main hall area and loops past the Okunoin; follow the lane behind the suspended stage.↗↗

To use the ladle for the water-pouring ritual, stop at one of the nearby sutra-stamp offices — there are counters beside the Amida Hall and beside the Okunoin — and ask to be given a dipper. It is a small, informal gesture that adds a moment of personal connection with the temple's caretakers.↗

For the best experience, arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid peak crowds on the hillside lanes. The area around the statue is shaded and naturally cool even in summer; the constant drip from the water source and the sound of trickling water make it one of the most peaceful spots within the entire temple complex.

The Water Connection to Otowa Falls

The water used for the Nurete Kannon ritual is not ordinary supply: it rises from a spring located directly above the source of Otowa Waterfall, the famous triple cascade at the base of the main hall where visitors traditionally drink from chosen streams for success in studies, romance, or longevity. The waterfall has flowed without interruption since the temple's founding in 778, and the clear spring water is what gave Kiyomizu-dera — "Pure Water Temple" — its very name. By pouring this same sacred water over the Kannon statue, you are drawing on one of Kyoto's oldest continuous natural springs.↗