The Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, was originally built in the 14th century as a vacation home for Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga. The temple has beautiful gardens and a pond that reflects the pavilion. On top of the pavilion sits a golden phoenix statue. It is believed that the phoenix protects the city from harm. Today, Kinkakuji is covered with approximately 20 kg of gold leaves.
Best season to visit
The temple is beautiful year-round, but the snow-covered pavilion is especially stunning. The bad news is that it doesn’t snow much in Kyoto. Therefore, even if you visit Kyoto in the winter, you might not see the pavilion covered in snow. Kyoto’s best seasons are generally spring and fall. There are many beautiful places to enjoy cherry blossoms in the spring and Japanese maple leaves in the fall.
Many people come to see the temple the night after a heavy snowfall. The line to enter the temple may be so long that you won’t be able to see it.
Images are provided by https://photo53.com/
Burning of the golden pavilion
In 1950, a young Buddhist acolyte set the pavilion on fire, completely burning it down. The motivation behind the arson was unclear. Perhaps he was unhappy with the temple’s commercialism. The well-known novelist Yukio Mishima wrote a novel about the arson called The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The book is considered one of his best works. I recommend it if you are interested in modern Japanese literature.
Access
Bus from Kyoto Station: Take No. 205 to Kinkakuji michi. It takes about 40-50 minutes.
Car: There are many parking sites around the temple. Try the temple’s parking first.