It is said that during the Edo period there was a crazy belief that if someone survived the fall from the stage of Kiyomizu-dera (which means more than 13 meters), a wish will become true. Also, it is said that 234 people actually jumped, and only 200 of them survived.

Obviously, this is strictly forbidden today, but from this old legend a popular saying remained in the Japanese culture, “to jump off the stage of Kiyomizu". The meaning of the saying is “to take a leap of faith", or to make a decision and “take a plunge".

Kiyomizu-dera, Main Hall, Kyoto

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Hiroshima A-bomb Dome