Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (the Pure Water Temple) in Eastern Kyoto is one of the best known sights of the city. The temple takes its name from the waterfall which runs off the nearby hills, though is more famed for its grand veranda that rests upon hundreds of pillars, not one employing a single nail or screw. The popular expression "To jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression "To take the plunge". This refers to an Edo Period tradition that held that, if one were to survive jumping from the stage, one's wish would be granted. The lush vegetation below the platform might in theory cushion the fall of a lucky pilgrim, though the practice is now prohibited. 234 jumps were recorded in the Edo Period and, of those, 85.4% survived.
