A Travel Guide to Enjoying Kinkaku-ji More Deeply

Looking back at the history of “Kinkaku-ji,” it was originally owned as a residence by the aristocratic “Saionji” family.
From the Kamakura period through the Muromachi period, aristocratic power weakened, and as a result the Saionji family had to let go of the land.
In 1397, during the Muromachi period, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu rebuilt the Saionji residence as a villa, and it later became “Kinkaku-ji.”
It became a temple after Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s death. By his will, it became a Zen temple.
The “Kitayama culture” that flourished in the Muromachi period when “Kinkaku-ji” was built is a culture that fused aristocratic, warrior, and Zen elements, but the influence of aristocratic culture is especially strong.
The characteristics of “Kitayama culture” are strongly reflected in the “Kinkaku.”
The “Kinkaku” and the garden centered around it are said to represent the Pure Land, and are so beautiful they hardly seem like a scene from this world.

“Kinkaku-ji” has suffered devastating damage several times.
In 1467, the “Onin War” broke out and most of “Kinkaku-ji” burned down. However, several buildings, including the “Shariden,” escaped damage.
In 1950, the “Kinkaku,” set on fire by an apprentice monk of “Kinkaku-ji,” was completely destroyed, and its shine disappeared.
However, based on detailed drawings that had been preserved, major restoration work was carried out, and it was rebuilt in 1955.

The glow of the “Shariden (Kinkaku),” said to represent the Pure Land, and the beauty of its gardens are sure to captivate everyone.
The “Shariden (Kinkaku)” is a three-story building that stands 12.5 m tall.
Approximately 200,000 sheets of gold leaf, each 10.8 cm square, are applied to the 2nd and 3rd floors.
A shariden is a building thought of as a container for enshrining the bones of Shakyamuni Buddha.
At the top of the roof of the “Shariden (Kinkaku),” a golden phoenix also shines.
The phoenix is a symbol of eternal life and power, and it was displayed with prayers for a peaceful world without conflict.
With popularity so great that “Kinkaku-ji” became its common name, you can’t visit without seeing the “Shariden (Kinkaku).”

“Sekka-tei (せっかてい)” is a small tea house of around 3 tatami mats, located on higher ground with views looking down over the “Shariden” and “Kyoko-chi” pond.
The name comes from the beauty of “Kinkaku-ji” lit by the setting sun, as seen from the tea house.
Built in the Edo period, it is also known for its hip-and-gable architecture and thatched roof.

A small pond that reflects the “Shariden (Kinkaku)” like a mirror.
“Kyoko-chi Pond” is said to have been modeled after the jeweled ponds of the Pure Land.
There are islands of various sizes here, including “Ashihara-jima,” and you can see unusual rocks and famous stones.
The sight of the “Shariden (Kinkaku)” and the surrounding islands reflected on the surface is truly spectacular.

“Rikushu-no-Matsu” has an overwhelming presence.
It is a natural monument designated by Kyoto City and is considered one of the “Three Great Pines of Kyoto.”
It is made from a “goyomatsu” (Japanese white pine), which has a longer age than other pines.
Originally a bonsai planted by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it was transplanted and has grown magnificently over more than 600 years.

“Fudo-do” houses two statues of Fudo Myo-o designated as Important Cultural Properties.
The “Ishi Fudo Myo-o,” said to have been made by Kukai, and the wooden “Fudo Myo-o” statue created in the Kamakura period are only shown on February 3 and August 16.
As the oldest surviving building at “Kinkaku-ji,” it’s worth visiting even if you can’t see the statues.

“Anmin-sawa” is a pond surrounded by woods, about half the size of Kyoko-chi Pond.
The stone gorinto pagoda on the small island in the pond is the “White Snake Mound,” which enshrines the white snake, a messenger of Benzaiten.
Benzaiten is also a water deity and one of the Seven Lucky Gods, and is believed to bring various blessings.
It’s also known as a power spot: if you toss a coin and it lands in the bowl placed in front of the “White Snake Mound,” Benzaiten is said to grant your wish.

“Ryumon Falls” drops in a single tier from a height of 2.3 m, with the “Rigyoseki” stone placed in the basin to depict a carp that looks ready to leap upward.
It is based on the Chinese legend “Toryumon,” in which a carp becomes a dragon after climbing a waterfall.
Because it represents “Toryumon,” it is said to bring blessings for career success and good fortune.

A Zen temple of the Myoshin-ji branch of the Rinzai school, registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as one of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.” In 1450 (Hotoku 2) during the Muromachi period, Hosokawa Katsumoto, the shogunate’s kanrei (deputy), received a mountain villa of the Tokudaiji family and founded the temple, inviting Giten Gensho Zenji, the fifth patriarch of Myoshin-ji, as the founding priest. It was later destroyed in the Onin War, but was revived under Katsumoto’s son Masamoto through the efforts of the Myoshin-ji monk Tokuhō Zenketsu. It is said that the hojo (abbot’s quarters) and the rock garden were also built around this time.

The head temple of the Omuro branch of Shingon Buddhism, registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as one of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.”
The Kondo (Golden Hall) at the back of the grounds was relocated in the early Edo period, during the Kan’ei era (1624–1645), from the Shishinden (Hall for State Ceremonies) of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, originally built in the Momoyama period.
As a precious remnant that conveys palace architecture of the time, it is the only National Treasure at Ninna-ji. Inside, it enshrines the principal image of the Amida Triad, along with statues of the Four Heavenly Kings and Brahma, and the walls are vividly painted with Pure Land imagery.

Beloved across Japan as a deity of abundant harvests, business prosperity, household safety, recovery from illness, and wishes granted, this is the head shrine of Inari shrines—said to number around 30,000 nationwide. It was founded in 711.
A particularly popular spot is the “Senbon Torii.” Behind the main hall, vermilion torii gates continue in a tunnel-like line.
They began as offerings dedicated by worshippers with prayers and gratitude, and across Mt. Inari as a whole, there are said to be more than 10,000 gates.

A cafe renovated from Fujimori Onsen, a public bathhouse that was used until 1998.
It opened in 2000 as the second location of the “Sarasa” cafe group, which now has six shops in Kyoto, while making the most of the original building’s charm. It’s a space that feels like a reflection of Nishijin’s Kyoto atmosphere.

A kappo restaurant where you can enjoy a wide range of dishes made with carefully selected, top-quality Japanese eel, mainly from Mikawa, Aichi, as well as from Tosa, Kochi and Osumi, Kagoshima.
Eel dishes prepared by skilled chefs deliver an exceptional flavor that overturns what you thought you knew.
A signature specialty is “unagi shabu-shabu,” where thinly sliced fresh eel prepared in-house is quickly swished through a richly flavored dashi, then enjoyed with ponzu and yuzu kosho.

A garden dining spot surrounded by greenery next to the “Kyoto Botanical Gardens” in Kitayama, Kyoto.
With the botanical garden’s sweeping greenery as a backdrop, you can enjoy authentic Neapolitan pizza baked in a wood-fired oven, seasonal Kyoto vegetable a la carte dishes, house-made sweets, and more.
The spacious interior has 70 seats, plus a terrace with as many as 50 seats.