2447) "Kiyomizu-dera Temple", Japan: "National Treasures of Japan Medals/Coins Series": The Japan Mint has issued Gold and Silver Medals depicting this iconic Buddhist Temple: Date of Coin issue: 2022:
National Treasures of Japan:
The Japan Mint has announced the release of a new National Treasure Medal which features the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The coin/medal is available in both gold and silver.
National Treasures are defined as government-designated tangible cultural properties selected as peerless treasures of the Japanese people based on their importance to world culture.
The Obverse and Reverses of the Gold and Silver Coins/Medals depicting the Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Japan
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple located in Eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site.
Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period (who ruled Japan from 794-1185).
By 778, it was owned by the Buddhist Kita-Hosso sect under Enchin Shonin. He was a priest from Nara (capital of Japan from 710 to 784), who received a vision to construct the temple next to the Otowa spring.
In 798, the shogun Sakanoue Tamuramaro, improved the site by including a large hall that was reassembled from the palace of Emperor Kammu (r. 781–806), when the emperor moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto).
The Emperor left Nara due to the strong influence that the Buddhist monasteries had on the government there.
During this period there was a strong rivalry between the Kofuku-ji and the Kiyomizu-dera temples and both had strong influences around the region.
The temple's present buildings were constructed in 1633, ordered to be built by Tokugawa Iemitsu. There is not a single nail used in the entire structure.
It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. "Kiyomizu" means "clear water", or "pure water".
It was originally affiliated with the old and influential Hossō sect dating from Nara times.
However, in 1965 it severed that affiliation, and its present custodians call themselves members of the "Kitahossō" sect.
The location & structure of the Temple Complex:
Kiyomizu-dera is located on the foothills of Mount Otowa, part of the Higashiyama mountain range that dominates eastern Kyoto.
The main hall has a large veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. Large verandas and main halls were constructed at many popular sites during the Edo period to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims.
Beneath the main hall is the "Otowa waterfall", where three channels of water fall into a pond. Visitors can catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting powers.
On the UNESCO World Heritage List:
The Kiyomizu-dera Temple is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Coin:
The Coin makes for a beautiful design.
The Obverse of the Gold and Silver Coins/Medals shows the main hall, or Hondo, standing on the cliff of Mount Otowa.
The Reverse of the Gold and Silver Coins/Medals has the "Otowa waterfall", which is the basis for the Temple’s construction and the source of its name. The characters for “Kiyomizu-dera Temple” can be seen on the top left.
i) The specifications of the Gold Coin/Medal are:
Country of issue: Japan; Year of issue: 2022; Coin/Medal Series name: "Cultural Treasures of Japan"; Coin/Medal name: "Kiyomizu-dera Temple"; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Diameter/Size: 35.00 mm; Weight: 45.00 grams; Mint: Japan Mint; Mintage: 800 pieces.
ii) The specifications of the Silver Coin/Medal are:
Country of issue: Japan; Year of issue: 2022; Coin/Medal Series name: "Cultural Treasures of Japan"; Coin/Medal name: "Kiyomizu-dera Temple"; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Diameter/Size: 60.00 mm; Weight: 160.00 grams; Mint: Japan Mint; Mintage: 2,000 pieces.
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