Before You Visit Kiyomizu-dera: Every Cost, and What's Worth It

Kiyomizu-dera, with its wooden stage hanging over the hillside, is Kyoto's most visited temple, and one of the most crowded. Entry is cheap; the real cost is the crowd on the stage and the slow walk up through the shopping streets. There's the standard entry, seasonal night illuminations, kimono rentals and guided tours of Higashiyama. Most of them sound worth paying for. You don't need any of the extras to have a great visit. In this guide we walk through what each option costs, what you really get, and how to choose the right time, whether that's a quiet 8 am or a packed late morning.