Home to a sumptuous garden and elegant structures, Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺; Silver Pavilion; shokoku-ji.jp/en/ginkakuji) is one of Kyoto's premier temples. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa commissioned Ginkaku-ji in 1482 as a villa retreat from the turmoil of civil war. It was his answer to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion). While the name Ginkaku-ji literally translates as "Silver Pavilion," the shogun's ambition to cover the building with silver was never realized. Nonetheless, the name stuck, and it was converted into a temple after his death.
Walkways lead through the sumptuous gardens of meticulously raked white-sand sculptures (symbolizing a mountain and a lake), tall pines, mosses and a pond around the two-story Silver Pavilion. Continue uphill for panoramic garden and city views.
Note that Ginkaku-ji is one of the city's most popular sites, and it is almost always crowded, especially during spring and autumn. We strongly recommend visiting right after it opens or just before it closes.
