Kinkaku-ji Temple in Japan

Kinkaku-ji Temple in Japan

Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Rinzai sect Shokoku-ji school temple originally built in 1397 (the fourth year of the Ōei era), located in Kita Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. The name "Kinkaku-ji" comes from the Dharma name of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate during Japan's Muromachi period. It is also nicknamed the "Golden Pavilion" because the exterior of its core building, the "Kannon Hall," is completely covered in gold leaf.

Kinkaku-ji is most famous for its core building, the Kannon Hall, a three-story pavilion structure located right next to the Mirror Pond. The roof features a pagoda-like structure topped with a golden phoenix, a symbol of good fortune. The first floor, called the "Hōsui-in," preserves the style of the Heian-period Fujiwara architecture, representing aristocratic design from the Heian era; the second floor, known as the "Chōondō," reflects the architecture of the Kamakura period and features a samurai-style design; while the third floor, called the "Kukkyōchō," is designed in the style of China’s Tang Dynasty, representing Zen Buddhist temple architecture. The perfect harmony of these three distinct architectural styles and eras within a single building is one of the reasons why Kinkaku-ji is so highly regarded.

In addition to the Kannon Hall, Kinkaku-ji features many uniquely styled Japanese gardens that together create a strolling pond garden layout, making it one of the most representative gardens of the Muromachi period and one of Kyoto’s most famous tourist attractions.

Kinkaku-ji

Must-visit reason: One of the most representative gardens of the Muromachi period

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia [Asia]

Country/region where the attraction is located: Japan [Japan]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Kyoto Prefecture [Kyoto Prefecture]

City where the attraction is located: Kyoto City [Kyoto]