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Temples & Shrines

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The Silver Pavilion Temple was constructed in 1474 as part of a villa for the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Originally intended to be covered in silver to match it's counterpart, Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion Temple, was never carried out due to politics.

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the Silver Pavilion Temple, was constructed in 1474 as part of a villa for the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. It was originally intended to be covered in silver to match its counterpart, Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion Temple, but the plan was never carried out due to politics. After Yoshimasa's death, the villa was converted into a temple. The exterior of this two-storied pagoda combines Chinese structural elements with Japanese Muromachi (1333-1568) architecture of that time. The grounds surrounding Ginkaku-ji have lovely gardens with a pond, and painstakingly sculpted cones of sand (The "Sea of Silver Sand"). The tallest mound is thought to symbolize Mt. Fuji.