Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto Tour! Video Japan Guide

Welcome to Japanesquest. Today we're visiting Kinkaku-ji temple. Kinkaku-ji is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto. It was built in 1397 by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate. Kinkaku-ji is the leading symbol of the flamboyant Kitayama culture and was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Although the formal name of this temple is Rokan-ji, it is widely known by the name Kinkaku-ji because its golden pavilion, Kinkaku, draws most people's attention. It has three floors and each one was built in a different architectural style. The first floor was built in a manner of the Heian period's palatial architecture. The second floor was designed like a samurai's residence, followed by the third floor as a Buddhist temple. The outside of the second and third floors is covered with golden foil, which reflects the sunshine all day long. While the Kinkaku-ji temple is well known for its magnificent golden pavilion, more than half of the entire area consists of a garden that features paths around the Kyokachi pond. Kyokachi pond contains 10 small islands, such as Tsurujima Island and Kamijima Island. They represent a tortoise and crane, which are believed as symbols of good fortune. The golden pavilion, Kinkaku, shows the most exquisite beauty at sunset. Kinkaku during sunset sparkles orange, as if caught on fire. Kinkaku-ji temple's glorious appearance represents the flamboyant Kitayama culture in the early Muromachi period. In the latter half of the Muromachi period, when the Higashiyama culture flourished, another temple, Ginkaku-ji, was built on the opposite side of Kyoto city. Both the Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji temples are highly appreciated as the part of Muromachi cultural heritage. That's today's episode of Japanesquest. For more details, please check our website. The link is in the description below. And don't forget to subscribe. Thank you for watching.