Sacred Waterfall

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

This view shows the sacred waterfall, Otowa-no-taki. Visitors collect and drink the water, which is said to prevent illness, from long-handled cups. The god of these waters is Fudo Myo-o, the fierce Deva King. Although it is certainly a Buddhist temple, Kiyomizu-dera's natural setting has always given it a kind of Shinto flavor for me; that is just my personal opinion, though.