Kiyomizu-dera Temple hosts Seiryu-e on 15 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 03:16 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Kiyomizu-dera Temple hosts the Seiryu-e procession in Kyoto on 15 October 2026. The event, also known as the Blue Dragon procession, is scheduled from 2pm to 3.30pm and gives the autumn programme a fixed date at one of Japan's best-known Buddhist temples.
Seiryu-e procession reaches Kiyomizu-dera on 15 October
The temple's official 2026 schedule lists Seiryu-e on 15 October, with the procession beginning at Okuno-in Hall at 2pm and moving from Sai-mon Gate at 3.30pm. The same schedule places the event within the grounds of Kiyomizu-dera Temple and lists it among the site's traditional rituals.
The ceremony is led by a blue dragon procession accompanied by religious attendants in ceremonial dress. The official description says that the dragon represents an incarnation of Kannon, the bodhisattva associated with compassion, while participants chant Namu-kannon and pray for good luck. Further details appear on the temple's Seiryu-e event page.
Kiyomizu-dera's wooden halls frame the autumn ritual
The route links two important parts of the temple complex. Okuno-in Hall stands above Otowa Waterfall, while Sai-mon is the western gate, reconstructed in 1633. The official site describes both buildings as part of the historic landscape through which the procession moves.
The Main Hall is also a 1633 reconstruction and stands on the steep cliff of Mount Otowa. Its wooden stage is supported by traditional construction methods, while the hall contains the temple's principal image, the Eleven-headed Thousand-armed Kannon Bodhisattva. The relationship between the procession and these named buildings gives the 15 October programme a setting that is specific to the temple rather than a general Kyoto festival.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is one of the seventeen component parts of the UNESCO property Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. UNESCO says the property illustrates the development of Japanese wooden religious architecture and garden design.
Visiting Kiyomizu-dera Temple: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Seiryu-e takes place at Kiyomizu-dera Temple on 15 October 2026, with the scheduled procession running from 2pm to 3.30pm.
- The event route begins at Okuno-in Hall and proceeds towards Sai-mon Gate, so visitors should expect the programme to involve several named areas of the temple grounds.
- The temple is at 1-294 Kiyomizu in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto. The official access information identifies the site in Kyoto, Japan.
- The approach and temple grounds include a steep cliff setting, steps and traditional buildings arranged across Mount Otowa. Comfortable walking footwear is appropriate for the terrain.
- Japan's official language is Japanese and its national currency is the yen.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Seiryu-e places Kiyomizu-dera's Kannon tradition and wooden architecture at the centre of a public autumn programme on 15 October 2026.
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Frequently asked questions about Kiyomizu-dera Temple
When does Seiryu-e take place at Kiyomizu-dera Temple?
Seiryu-e takes place on 15 October 2026. The scheduled procession runs from 2pm to 3.30pm.
Where is Kiyomizu-dera Temple and how do you get there?
The temple is in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan, at 1-294 Kiyomizu. The official access information identifies the site within Kyoto.
What is Kiyomizu-dera Temple?
It is a Buddhist temple whose Main Hall and Okuno-in Hall were reconstructed in 1633. The temple is also part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
