Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺), officially named Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺), is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It is one of Kyoto's most popular structures, attracting a large number of visitors annually. Its name, Kinkaku-ji, literally translates to "Golden Pavilion Temple," referring to the temple's most recognizable feature: the Golden Pavilion (金閣, Kinkaku).

Originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, according to his will, it was converted into a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. The Golden Pavilion serves as a shariden (reliquary hall), enshrining relics of the Buddha.

The pavilion is a three-story structure overlooking a large pond, reflecting its image in the water. Each floor is built in a different architectural style. The first floor, called the Chamber of Dharma Waters (法水院, Hō-sui-in), is built in the shinden-zukuri style, reminiscent of Heian period palace architecture. The second floor, the Tower of Sound Waves (潮音洞, Chō-on-dō), is built in the buke-zukuri style, typical of samurai residences. The third floor, the Cupola of the Ultimate (究竟頂, Kukkyō-chō), is built in the style of a Zen temple. The top two floors are covered in gold leaf.

Kinkaku-ji was designated as a Special Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. In 1950, it was burned down by a mentally ill monk, an event that became the subject of Yukio Mishima's novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The current structure is a reconstruction, completed in 1955, meticulously replicating the original. Subsequent restorations have been carried out to maintain its beauty and protect its gold leafing.

Kinkaku-ji, along with other Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.