Kinkaku-Ji

Lonely Planet review

Second only to Mt Fuji as Japan's most famous sight, this temple is famous for its dazzling gold-covered main hall, which floats like an apparition over its surrounding pond. It's a stunning vision and most people find it to their liking, although some prefer the more subdued appearance of its counterpart, Ginkaku-ji. Needless to say, the temple receives masses of visitors; as usual, we recommend an early-morning or late-afternoon visit.

Also known as Rokuon-ji, Kinkaku-ji belongs to the Shōkokuji school of Buddhism. The original building was constructed in 1397 as a retirement villa for shōgun Ashikaga Yoshi-mitsu. His son, complying with his father's wishes, converted it into a temple.

The three-storey pavilion is covered in bright gold leaf and features a bronze phoenix on top of the roof. The mirrorlike reflection of the temple in the Kyō-ko pond is extremely photogenic, especially when the maples are ablaze in autumn.

In 1950 a young monk consummated his obsession with the temple by burning it to the ground. The monk's story is fictionalised in Mishima Yukio's 1956 novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion .

In 1955 a full reconstruction was completed, which followed the original design exactly, but the gold-foil covering was extended to the lower floors. The temple may not be exactly to everyone's taste but it is nevertheless an impressive feat.