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  • Kinkaku-ji Temple (Rokuon-ji Temple)

Kinkaku-ji Temple (Rokuon-ji Temple)

金閣寺(鹿苑寺)

Description

Originally, Kinkakuji Temple was a mountain villa for the Saionji family who were court aristocrats. It was given over to the third Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, who built it up even further to become a uniquely luxurious villa. Later in Yoshimitsu’s life, many a great banquet was held here at the behest of Emperor Go-Komatsu leading the villa to become his prized possession. After Yoshimitsu’s death, Muso Soseki founded a zen temple there. During the Onin War, most of the halls were lost in a fire, but the pavilion itself was saved until it, too, was lost in a fire later. This incident has been the subject of many novels including Yukio Mishima’s “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion”, Tsutomu Mizukami’s “The Burning of the Golden Pavilion”, and others.

Location Information

  • Address

    1, Kinkakujicho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 603-8361

  • Nearest Station
    Kitanohakubaicho Station
    ・ Keifuku Dentetsu-kitano Line
    20 minutes on foot
  • Phone Number
    075-461-0013
    Available languages
    only in Japanese
  • Hours
    9:00am - 5:00pm
  • Closed
    None
Original source: ©Shobunsha Publications Inc.

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※ The above information was correct at the time of updating, but there may be changes to actual prices. Please confirm the current prices when visiting.