Kinkaku-ji
The highlight of any visit to the grounds of Kinkaku-ji temple is, without doubt, the world famous “Golden Pavilion”. This architectural masterpiece is undisputedly one of the most beautiful landmarks in Kyoto. Built in 1394, the pavilion was the brainchild of the third Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu. By the time he had moved into his new home, Yoshimitsu had retired from the shogunate in order to become a Buddhist monk. At the height of its fame, the temple grounds were crammed with an array of extravagant buildings – palaces to the north and south, a huge array of lavish reception halls and a maze of covered corridors to connect them all.
It was here at Kinkaku-ji that Yoshimitsu also chose to erect the “Kitayama Great Pagoda”. Undoubtedly the crowning glory of the entire site, this seven storied building had taken five years to complete Unfortunately, it has not survived, falling victim to fire in 1417. Similarly, many of the temple buildings were devastated during the Onin War of 1467. As the smoke from the flames of war gradually parted, all that remained was the Golden Pavilion, standing in majestic isolation on the shoreline of the lake. The pavilion was sadly burned down by a deranged trainee monk in 1950 and re-built two years later. In 1994, Kinkaku-ji finally received deserved recognition when UNESCO added the temple to its “World Heritage” list.
Date of Construction: Built in 1394 by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu; Original temple destroyed in Onin War (1467); Golden Pavilion destroyed by fire (July 1950) and re-built between 1952 and 1954.
Highlights: The Kinkaku (“Golden Pavilion”); Temple gardens and the Kyoko-chi (“Mirror Lake”); Dragon Gate Falls
- The Abbot's Residence & the Shoin - 1:07
- The Golden Pavilion ('Kinkaku') - 4:43
- The Estate Gardens & the Mirror Pond - 2:13
- The Dragon Gate Falls - 0:36
- The Pond of Tranquility - 1:06
- The Sekkatei - 0:46
- The Fudo Hall - 0:42
