Architecture blends with nature at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, Japan. Kiyomizu Temple was a finalist in the campaign to choose the New 7 Wonders of the World.
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Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, Japan
The words Kiyomizu, Kiyomizu-dera or Kiyomizudera can refer to several Buddhist temples, but the most famous is the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. In Japanese, kiyoi mizu means pure water.
Kyoto's Kiyomizu Temple was constructed in 1633 on the foundations of a much earlier temple. A waterfall from adjacent hills tumbles into the temple complex. Leading into the temple is a wide veranda with hundreds of pillars.