Ginkakuji Temple- The Silver Pavilion in Kyoto

The Ginkakuji 銀閣寺is a Zen temple along the eastern mountains of Kyoto (Higashiyama). In 1482, the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of the current temple, modeling it after the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather’s retirement villa at the base of the mountains north of Kyoto (Kitayama). The village (Ginkakuji) became a Zen temple after Yoshimasa’s death in 1490.

Despite its name (” gin ” means ” silver “) the Ginkakuji was never covered in silver. Instead, the name is believed to have emerged as a nickname more than a century after the building’s construction to contrast it with the Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion. Alternatively, it is explained that the moonlight reflecting off the building’s dark exterior (which used to be covered in black lacquer in the past) gave it a silvery appearance.

As the retirement villa of an art-obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became a center of contemporary culture, known as the Higashiyama Culture in contrast to the Kitayama Culture of his grandfather’s day. Unlike the Kitayama Culture, which remained limited to Kyoto’s aristocratic circles, the Higashiyama Culture had a wide impact throughout the country. The arts developed and refined over time include the tea ceremony, flower arranging, Noh theater, poetry, garden design, and architecture.

Today, Ginkakuji consists of the Silver Pavilion, half a dozen other temple buildings, and beautiful, distinctive gardens. You can enjoy walking along a circular route through its enclosure, from which you can see the gardens and buildings.

The Ginkakuji is formally called Kannonden (Kannon Hall) the two floors of the pavilion are built in two different architectural styles and contain a statue of Kannon , the Buddhist goddess of mercy. However, the interior of the building is not open to the public.

This temple is one of only two buildings on the Ginkakuji grounds to have survived the many fires and earthquakes of past centuries intact , though it has undergone regular renovations to keep it well preserved. Although recently, the roof of the building was reconstructed and its resistance to earthquakes was improved.

When you visit the Ginkakuji grounds you will find a meticulously manicured extensive dry sand garden known as the ” Silver Sand Sea ” with a huge sand cone called the “Moon Viewing Platform ” where this gigantic sand cone is located. impeccable looks like the reflection of the moon in a calm pond. In addition to the garden is the Hondo (main room), which exhibits paintings on its sliding doors (fusuma) although access is not allowed.

The Ginkakuji is a nice place to visit when you go to Kyoto! It is a place with a lot of history and that exemplifies the elegance of Japan’s wabi sabi!

And if you want to know more places that are a Classic Treasure of Japan, we recommend this post/video !

It is very easy to get to Kyoto by train , including the super fast Shinkansen or bullet train , making it a comfortable ride from Tokyo. And although it is possible to travel by plane, bus or boat, the train offers the best prices and convenience of all . For an even better price, we recommend traveling with the Japan Railways universal pass called JR PASS , which you can purchase on their website. This pass is purchased before traveling to Japan , arriving at the airport or at any train station , you can pick up your pass with proof of purchase .