For a view from the verandah
October 28, 2017 00:00 IST
Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto is a nice blend of architecture and landscape.By Chitra Ramaswamy
Kyoto is a bustling riot of commerce and schlock. A quaint and steeply inclined street, the Teapot Lane, flanked by shops selling souvenirs and local snacks and handicrafts, brings us to the Kiyomizu-dera, literally translated to “pure water temple” and its sprawling precincts. Perched on a hill halfway up Mt. Otowa, one of the peaks in Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountain range, the shrine overlooks the basin of Kyoto. Founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfalls, it is one of Japan’s most celebrated temples and a part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site. The integration of architecture with landscape is what makes the edifice spectacular.
Spatial fluidity
The two-storey vermilion-hued Nio-mon Gate guarded by a pair of Kongo-Rikishi, the lion-dog statues, serves as the main entrance to the 130,000 sq. m precincts which contains over 15 structures with a spatial fluidity that runs between. We ascend the steps to come upon a set of wooden horse stables from the Edo Era.
A little further up, we come to another flight of steps accessed by the Sai-mon Gate with its cypress bark roof held aloft by eight pillars, and embellished with sculpted elephant heads.
The temple complex contains several other shrines, including the Jishu Shrine dedicated to the deity of love that stands behind the main hall. Closeby is a pitch black subterranean grotto containing a couple of rocks placed several metres apart, and associated with their own interesting legend. The Shoro or belfry, cast in 1478, is an imposing structure which lies close to a colourful three-storey pagoda. Together with other halls, these edifices create an aesthetic and impressive medley.
However, Kiyomzudera is most famed and sought out for the huge verandah of the main hall which juts out on 139 Zelkova wooden pillars, each 13m tall.
It accords a stunning view of the surrounding verdure, especially during autumn and spring when the region erupts in a sea of seasonal hues. The pillars stand on stone bases, without foundations.
The columns support the terraced platform that once served as proscenium for dances. On its either sides were roofed galleries from where orchestras played in rhythm to the dances.
‘Kakezukuri’ style
The main hall with its distinctive hip-shaped roof of cypress bark, built in the ‘stage’ style, is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of compassion who has 11 faces and 42 arms. The twin structures have been built in the unique ‘Kakezukuri’ architectural style that makes use of holes and grooves to fix pillars and cross beams, combining them to form latticed square frames.
No nails have been used anywhere in the entire temple complex to fix the structures.
The Kiyomizu verandah, a well-balanced horizontal floor or a segment of the main hall’s eaves on a precipice combines over 410 pieces of cypress assembled together without the use of metal nails. It reveals a slight slant towards its edge to protect the wood from damage by rainwater.
The water from the Otowa Waterfall, which is divided into three separate streams, is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall and is believed to have healing properties.
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