Kinkaku-ji is the familiar name for Rokuon-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple in northern Kyoto. The name refers especially to the Golden Pavilion, the shariden, whose gilded upper stories are reflected in Kyōko-chi, or Mirror Pond. The pavilion is the most photographed feature, but it is only one part of a temple precinct and historic garden. A visit is a one-way walk through the grounds: the building is viewed from the designated route rather than experienced as an interior museum. Taking time to look at the pond, islands, tree lines and changing views makes the place more than a quick stop for the famous reflection.
The temple’s official history traces the site to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Muromachi period. In 1397 he began developing a former Saionji family estate as Kitayama-dono, a villa and political-cultural centre. The Golden Pavilion served as its shariden, or relic hall, and Yoshimitsu received envoys there. After his death, the estate was converted into a Zen temple in accordance with his will and took the name Rokuon-ji, derived from his posthumous Buddhist title. This history links architecture, political life and the culture known as Kitayama, rather than presenting the pavilion simply as an extravagant residence.
