Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion Temple), Kyoto
The beautiful Kinkakuji, glimmering with gold. Photo by David Sanz.
Kinkakuji reflected in the calm waters of its garden lake.
The temple's reflection evokes heaven and earth. Photo by Joka2000.
The upper floor, called the "Superb Apex." Photo by Nathan Duckworth.
Kinkakuji in the snow. Photo by Brian Jeffery Beggerly.
Kinkakuji in the rain. Photo by Lauren.
Inside Kinkakuji temple. Photo © Galen Frysinger.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion Temple) is the common nickname of the Rokuonji (Deer Garden Temple) Zen temple in Kyoto, Japan.
History
Kinkakuji was built in 1393 as a retirement villa for Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga (1358-1409), who quit politics the following year to manage the affairs of state through the new shogun, his 10-year-old son.
The beauty of the shogun's pavilion makes it difficult to imagine the era in which he lived out his retirement: the country was in turmoil and Kyoto residents suffered severe famines and plagues — local death tolls sometimes reached 1,000 a day.
After his death, his son converted the building into a Zen temple of the Rinzai school, in accordance with Ashikaga's wishes.
The temple was burned down several times during the Onin War. In 1950, the Golden Pavilion was again burned down, this time by a fanatical monk. A fictionalized version of the events is at the center of Yukio Mishima's 1956 book The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
The present structure dates from 1955, which is true to the original except that both upper stories are covered in gold leaf, in accordance with Ashikaga's original intentions.
What to See
The best known feature of the temple complex is the Golden Pavilion (kinka-ku) situated picturesquely in its garden. In accordance with the Shinden style of the Heian period, it stands at the edge of a lake. The three-story pavilion extends over the pond and is reflected in the calm waters, an image designed to suggest an existence somewhere between heaven and earth. The harmony of the pavilion and its reflection make Kinkaku-ji one of Kyoto's most powerful visions.
To underscore this statement of his prestige and power, the shogun had the ceiling of the third floor of the pavilion covered in gold leaf. Today, the entire pavilion except the basement floor is covered with pure gold leaf, making the temple extremely valuable. The pavilion is also spiritually valueable: it is a shariden, housing relics of the Buddha.
The first floor of the pavilion, known as the Hôsuiin ("Temple of Dharma Water"), is built in the shinden style (shinden zukuri) associated with Heian-period nobility.
The second story, called the Chôondô ("Grotto of Wave Sounds"), is built in the buke style (buke zukuri) used for samurai houses.
The third floor is built in the style of a Buddha Hall from a Chinese Chan (Zen) temple and is known as the Kukkyôchô ("Superb Apex").
Quick Facts
| Names: | Kinkakuji, Kinkaku-ji, Golden Pavilion Temple, Rokuonji, Rokuon-ji, Deer Garden Temple, |
| Type of site: | Buddhist temple |
| Faith: | Rinzai Zen Buddhism |
| Dates: | Built 1393; present building dates from 1955 |
| Address: | 1 Kinkaku-ji-cho, Kyoto, Japan |
| Bus: | 101 or 205 from Kyoto Station (but metro is faster) |
| Metro: | Karasuma Line to Kitaoji Station, then short bus ride |
| Hours: | Daily 9-5 |
| Cost: | ¥400 |
Travel Resources
- Kyoto Guided Tours - city tours and day trips
- Kyoto Hostels - budget lodgings with no booking fees
- Kyoto Hotel Reviews - unbiased ratings from fellow travelers
- Kyoto Travel Forum - tips, advice, answers on Kyoto
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Kinkakuji. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Kyoto Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
More Information
- Reviews of Kinkaku-ji - TripAdvisor reviews and photos
- Kinkaku-ji Webcam - webcam photo of Kinkakuji, updated every five minutes
- Kinkaku-ji Guide - includes computer-generated map and a photo of each location
