About this location: Kinkaku-ji
Kinkaku-ji, built in 1397, is the Golden Pavilion — a three-story structure covered in gold leaf reflected in Kyoko-chi pond. A UNESCO site. The 'Snow-capped Kinkaku' is a once-in-a-lifetime vista; the classic shot is from across the pond.
Key features
- Kinkaku (Reliquary Hall) — three tiers, with about 20 kg of gold leaf on the upper two; topped by a phoenix in the Zen Buddhist style. The reflection in Kyoko-chi pond is the classic frame
- Kyoko-chi Pond — punctuated by nine borrowed islands and stones; on a windless day, a perfect mirror, especially after rain
- Rikushu Pine — said to have been planted by Yoshimitsu, this ~600-year-old pine is pruned to resemble a boat
- Sekkatei Tearoom — an Edo-period tea pavilion visited by Emperor Gomizunoo; its name evokes «watching the Golden Pavilion glow at sunset»
- Snow-capped Kinkaku — central Kyoto sees snow only a handful of times a year, making the snow-and-gold contrast a once-in-a-lifetime subject
