Kiyomizudera renovations

Hello!
I am planning my trip to Kyoto in May 2016. Concerning the Kiyomizudera temple, in this website, I could read: "The construction has a certain but not overwhelming impact on a visit. Later in the decade, the main hall will also undergo renovation which can be expected to have a bigger impact on a visit". Does anyone know when the works at the the main halls are due to begin? Shall I expect scaffolds wrapping the temple during my visit next May?
Thank you in advance.

Kiyomizudera is a big place. You don't really hear about underwhelmed visitors (unlike, say, with Kinkakuji).

The experience will likely be no different for visitors in 2016.

Kiyomizera is large, however the impact on visitors is relatively low mostly because only minor parts of the temple have been undergoing renovation. Expect more significant impacts once the main hall and stage get covered up at some unspecified time in the future. We'll have to wait and see, but it could potentially be bad enough that visitors might reconsider entering the temple grounds.

Thank you very much for your kind answers!
My question now is: should Kyomizu-dera be subjected to more massive renovations works, is it still worth programming a trip to Kyoto?
Thanks in advance.

It is still worth spending three nights there. It is an amazing city steeped in culture and tradition. Plus the food is great. It is a very unique city. So even without Kiyomizudera there is tons to do.

Green tea
Entering small shops
Seeing Geisha
Walking along the really old streets
Imperial palace
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Golden Pavilion
Ryoanji's stone raked garden
Tenryuji World Heritage garden
Arashiyama's bamboo grove

And so much more

Even just walking about Gion or along Kawa river is interesting in itself.

should Kyomizu-dera be subjected to more massive renovations works, is it still worth programming a trip to Kyoto?

The question sounds so offensive. Kyoto has so many "top destinations" even when Kiyomizu Temple is at its best, it's not necessary to visit.

Have you actually done any research on Kyoto? Even minimal research should show that there is a lot more to see in Kyoto than just that one temple. A person with even just mild interest in Japanese history and culture should be able to find plenty in Kyoto that impresses them.

I did not want to offense anyone. I just asked a question, based on the fact that the FIVE books on Japan that I read indicated Kyomizudera as one of the top and unmissable landmarks to visit in Kyoto. I would prefer to postpone my trip of a couple of years and have the possibility to fully admire the shrine rather than see scaffolds. On the contrary, I find extremely offensive and unrespectful those who reply aggressively to a simple question.
If this is the attitude of Japan lovers, I feel it for sure as demotivating.

You can still go to Kiyomizudera, the main building is not yet under renovations yet but probably will start soon. Otherwise you will have to wait til about 2020 when it is completed (Its been renovations all over the various buildings since 2008).

To answer the other question, Definitely come to Kyoto! There still the Golden Pavilion, Silver Pavilion, too many temples to name, Gion, Fushi Inari Shrine, culture and lay back traditional city to Kyoto. Even side trip to Arashiyama.

Kyoto has always been my favorite city in Japan.

Hope this helps!!
Have fun!!

The question sounds so offensive. Kyoto has so many "top destinations" even when Kiyomizu Temple is at its best, it's not necessary to visit.

Have you actually done any research on Kyoto? Even minimal research should show that there is a lot more to see in Kyoto than just that one temple. A person with even just mild interest in Japanese history and culture should be able to find plenty in Kyoto that impresses them.

I should not come back on this reply but I cannot help finding it so irritating, rude and offensive itself. How do you dare ot ask if I have done a research on Kyoto? Have you considered that a 13 hour long, very expensive flight can be discouraging if I then have to expect to fine the main landmark covered with scaffolds? How would you react if you arrived in Paris for the first time in your life after such a long journey and you discovered that the Eiffel Tower is wrapped or the Louvre is closed? I am just trying to avoid getting disappointed. This is not offensive towards Kyoto and does not mean I haven't read books and blogs about the town. But I really start thinking I'd rather invest my time and money in a trip somewhere else. Perhaps, I could get more polite answers when I ask for help.

Well to give you a different view on Kiyomizudera: I think it's one, if not THE most overrated landmark in Kyoto. And I'm talking about the temple area itself, It's always very crowded and not that interesting compared to others. The scaffolding that you mentioned, to me it had a big impact on our visit. Last time was november last year and we decided that we wouldn't go back any time soon.

There's so much to see in Kyoto, it's not the end of the world if you skip it in my opinion.

Well, Paris is synonymous with the Eiffel tower. But Kyoto has much much more than just one Kiyomizudera. And to expect to all of Kyoto in a day or even a week is plain not possible. Just to cover the top destinations takes three days. All the main attractions takes at least a week. If you include the smaller attractions... well let's not go there.

This is not to say Paris has only one major attraction, just that Kyoto has more major attractions.

Just because Kiyomizudera is closed does not mean your trip to Kyoto would be disappointing. There is much to do and see. Lastly, Kyoto is beautiful in all seasons so you should definitely make more than one trip here.

Sorry you were offended and encountered rudeness by another poster.

I have spent considerable time in Kyoto over the past decade. I used to love Kiyomizudera. However, it really has become very touristy and I just skip it all together now. It is so crowded that it has become a very stressful experience.

There really is so much to see in Kyoto besides Kiyomizudera! Indeed, Joshua Hugh (jh) provided a pretty good list of worthwhile places to see.

Enjoy your trip :)

Just to add to jh's list, I would also include a walk along the Philosopher's Path.

I do apologize that you were offended. It was a poor way of pointing out what others have said, that Kiyomizu Temple is nice but not the best thing in the city. It is famous, though, so if its a priority of yours, it probably would be worth postponing your trip if you are able.

Cancelling a trip because of a forum post will only affect yourself though not anyone else, so it'd be rather sad for you to not go If it is your dream to visit Japan.

Did the OP seriously just compare the Eiffel Tower to Kiyomizu-dera?

Paris may be a one-trick pony that isn't even worth visiting, if not for the Eiffel Tower, I don't know. But there's no single landmark in Japan that's worth postponing a trip for.

No, seriously. I am shocked.
After the umpteenth sarcastic and disdainful reply, I can really say I am annoyed with the attitude of the people in this forum and I am losing my interest in Kyoto and Japan. I would encourage to read my comment in which I did not mention only the Eiffel Tower but also the Louvre and, sorry, I think that the amount of treasuries in terms of artistic and historical heritage that is to admire in that museum if certainly not inferior to what you can find in Kyoto. Secondly, you may not like the Eiffel tower but it remains a masterpiece from the engineering point of view. You climb there not just for the view but to realize the extremely high technical level reached there in 1889. The fact that you are love Japanese culture, that you have a passion for Kyoto DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE OFFENSIVE WITH RESPECT OF OUR HERITAGE IN EUROPE. As I said, I am completely disappointed and disgusted by some reactions in the forum in this website. The world if full of stunning places to visit to achieve a cultural enrichment. Japan was an extremely intriguing country to me but, congratulations, you have made it much less attractive.

Although there were certainly some 'rude' replies to your original post, your posts have become even more rude and hostile.

You are obviously a very angry person. Perhaps it would be best for everyone if you just left the forum, especially as you are so fed up with it.

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration to others of leaving the forum….

I am not an angry person but I asked a simple and perhaps naif question. I got some very kind answers but a couple of them were absolutely unpleasant. At first I was told I was superficial and then I was treated as an idiot because I compared the shrine with the Eiffel Tower. This has happened to me also in "real life", when I asked a question about Japan to a person with a passion for this country and he told me not to go because he wanted to protect Japan against my ignorance about japanese country. Perhaps it is true. I will find another place to go so that I can avoid disturb people when I ask questions. Ohara, I am sorry for overreacting. I will leave the forum as you requested.

At first I was told I was superficial and then I was treated as an idiot because I compared the shrine with the Eiffel Tower. This has happened to me also in "real life", when I asked a question about Japan to a person with a passion for this country and he told me not to go because he wanted to protect Japan against my ignorance about japanese country.

Hmm, I'm not seeing the same hostility you're describing and suspect you may be reading too much into the replies. Perhaps you're reading them more negatively then they actually are because of your experience with the rude person you met in real life.

I would suggest going back and rereading the thread with a neutral attitude as there are a lot of great suggestions in there if you can see it without prejudice.

err why are you guys so off topic....

To the OP, don't worry about it, this is the internet......

Anyways Yes you should still go to Kyoto and enjoy the traditional side of Japan ^__^

You will love Japan a lot!

I have already been there three times. Feel free to message me about questions.

Hope this helps!!
Have Fun!!