Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Buddhist temple located in the upper western side of Kyoto. Built at the end of the 14th century, it was originally a villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The site then became a temple for the Zen sect of Buddhism in 1408 per Yoshimitsu’s wish after his death.
It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994, one of the 14 sites Kyoto has to offer. Visitors can access Kinkaku-ji for ¥400. The Kyoto buses you can take to Kinkaku-ji are numbers 12, 59, 101, 102, 204, and 205.
In 1950, a fanatical novice monk burned the Golden Pavilion to the ground and the present structure was built in 1955. Visitors are not allowed to enter the building but can admire it from the gardens surrounding it.
The Golden Pavilion
The pavilion has three floors, each with their very own architectural style:
The first floor, the Chamber of Dharma Waters, follows the Shinden style, a popular style for the 11th-century Heian period mansions and consists of a single room surrounded by a veranda. Wooden shutters called Shitomido separate the inside of the room from the outside and they can slide to open up the room to the exterior. The Shitomido in Kinkaku-ji only reach halfway to the ceiling which lets in natural light.
The Tower of Sound Waves is the name of the second floor of Kinkaku-ji. This floor is modeled after the Bukke style of samurai homes and the exterior is entirely covered in golden leaves. It also houses an icon of the Bodhisattva Kannon.
The third floor follows the Chinese Zen style and is also covered in gold leaves outside as well as inside the Kukkyocho Hall. The katomado, bell-shaped, windows let in natural light. A golden phoenix tops the Chinese style roof.
(You can also find a list of sites to learn more about the architecture of Kinkaku-ji at the end of this post)
Gardens and Other Sites
Kinkaku-ji sits on the edge of Kyoko-chi pond, which translates to Mirror Pond. Viewing the temple from across this pond is stunning. The water reflects the gold of the pavilion, a sight to marvel at in any season.
Visitors are required to follow a one-way set path through the gardens to view Kinkaku-ji from multiple locations. After the initial view from across the pond, visitors are led to the former living quarters of the head priest.
The gardens also house a second pond. Anmin-take Pond, or Upper Pond, has an island pagoda, the called Hakuja-zuka, or a white snake mound, and it is said that the water never dries up.
The Sekkatei Teahouse was built during the 17th century in honor of the visit of Emperor Go-Mizuno-o. The modesty of this teahouse compared to the Golden Pavilion focuses the guest’s attention on the tea ceremony.
At the end of the visit Fudo Hall, a small Buddhist temple hall, awaits. This structure is a hall of one of Japan’s most important Buddhist deities: Fudo Myoo. Visitors go to this temple to gain his blessings.
For more information on the temple and the gardens surrounding it, please visit the informative sites below:
Asian Historical Architecture: Kinkaku-ji Temple
JapanGuide.com: Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)
Japan National Tourism Organization: Kinkaku-ji Temple
Facts and Details: Kinkakuji Temple
Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System: Shinden-zukuri 寝殿造
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