Kyoto's famed "Golden Pavilion," Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺; shokoku-ji.jp/en/kinkakuji/access) is one of Japan's best-known sights. The main hall, covered in brilliant gold leaf, shining above its reflecting pond is truly spectacular. Needless to say, due to its beauty, the temple can be packed any day of the year. It's best to go early in the day or just before closing, ideally on a weekday.
The original building dates from 1397 and was a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, whose son converted it into a Buddhist temple. In 1950 a young monk consummated his obsession with the temple by burning it to the ground. The monk's story was fictionalized in Mishima Yukio's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. A full reconstruction was completed in 1955 following the original design, but extending gold-foil covering to the lower floors.
In 1955 a full reconstruction was completed that followed the original design, but the gold-foil covering was extended to the lower floors.
