HOME > Sightseeing > Temples & Shrines

Temples & Shrines

Highlight:
Kinkakuji was built in 1393 as a retirement villa for the Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga. After his death, his son converted the building into a Rinzai Zen temple. In 1950, a fanatical young monk burned down the Golden Pavilion. And a novel was written based on the occurrence.

Details
Kinkakuji was built in 1393 as a retirement villa for the Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga. After his death, his son converted the building into a Rinzai Zen temple. In 1950, a fanatical young monk burned down the Golden Pavilion, and a fictionalized version of this historical occurrence was made into a novel. "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion", was written by one of Japan's most famous writers, Yukio Mishima. A full reconstruction was done in 1955, this time extending the authentic gold leaf to both stories of the structure as was Ashikaga's intention. The brilliance of the pavilion and its reflection in the pond in which it lies is one of Kyoto's most picturesque sights.