Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji, formally known as Rokuon-ji, is one of Kyoto's most striking sights: a three-story pavilion whose upper floors are entirely sheathed in gold leaf, rising above the still waters of Kyoko-chi, the Mirror Pond. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built it in 1397 as his retirement villa, a place where political power met artistic refinement. After his death, it became a Zen temple. The current structure dates from 1955, a reconstruction following a devastating fire set by a troubled young monk in 1950, an incident that inspired Yukio Mishima's novel "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion." Visitors follow a prescribed path around the pond, where the pavilion's gold-covered upper stories are reflected in Kyoko-chi, creating the view most often photographed from the garden path. The surrounding gardens have been designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Arriving when the temple opens at 9am offers the best light and thinner crowds; an hour is sufficient to appreciate the grounds.