Kinkaku-ji
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen temple whose top two floors are covered in real gold leaf, built originally in 1397 as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and converted to a temple after his death. The current structure is a 1955 reconstruction, since the previous building was burned down by a monk in 1950, an event fictionalized in Yukio Mishima's novel.
Visitors follow a fixed one-way path around the reflecting pond for the classic view of the gold pavilion against the water, then continue through the surrounding garden past a smaller teahouse and viewpoints, though the interior of the pavilion itself is not open to the public.
Kinkaku-ji FAQs
No, the original burned down in 1950; the current structure is a 1955 reconstruction, though it still uses genuine gold leaf on its upper floors.
No, the interior is not open to the public; visitors view it from the garden path around the pond.
Yes, a paid admission.
About 45 minutes to an hour, following the fixed walking path through the grounds.
Yes, it's one of Kyoto's most visited sights; arriving right at opening helps avoid the largest crowds.
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