| History |  |
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Kinkaku-ji is located in Kinkakuji-chô, Kita-ku, in the northwester corner of Kyoto. It is a beautiful area, with the mountains Kinugasayama to the west and Hidari Daimonjiyama behind it.
The range of mountains running along the northern part of Kyoto is known as Kitayama, but the area around Kinkaku-ji is sometimes referred to as Hokuzan, an alternative pronunciation of the characters used to write Kitayama. This name can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185), and at that time was used to distinguish the larger area (Kitayama) extending north into Kyoto Prefecture from the smaller (Hokuzan) area close to Kinkaku-ji.
From the mid-Heian period, many burial sites were located here, and there are still numerous tombs -among them that of Emperor En'yû (reign 969-84) -crematories, graves, and burial mounds in the vicinity. Today the area to the west of Kinkaku-ji is known as Himuro ("ice chamber"), a name thought to derive from the ice chambers that the imperial court operated there. In winter, ice was cut into blocks and stored in chambers excavated in the deep recesses of Hidari Daimonjiyama and other mountains in the area, where it could be preserved for use in warm weather.
In the past, the area was also regarded as a rich hunting grounds and a desirable locale for temples. The site of Kinkaku-ji was passed from its owner, the head of the Office of Shinto Worship, to Saionji Kintsune (1171-1244).
Kinkaku-ji's Relics Hall (Shariden), commonly known as the Golden Pavilion, is so well known that the entire temple has come to be called Kinkaku-ji, but the temple's official name is Rokuon-ji. It was named after the third Ashikaga shogun Yoshimitsu (1358-1408) and was part of his private Kitayama villa. Kinkaku-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple belonging to the Shôkoku-ji branch. Rokuon (Deer Park) was the site of Shakyamuni's first sermon after attaining enlightenment, and Rokuon'in was Yoshimitsu's posthumous name. |
| Description | |
The gardens, Rokuon-ji Teien (a Special Place of Scenic Beauty), were modeled on those of Saiho-ji. The Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion) was built on the edge of the pond: its first storey is in the Shinden aristocratic style of the Heian Period, the second in an intermediate residential style, and the third in the style of Zen temples. The exterior is decorated with gold leaf. It was designated as a National Treasure, but was destroyed by fire. A reconstructed building was erected in 1955, since it was seen as an essential element of the garden.
- Address : 1 Kinkakuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto City
- Telephone : 075-461-0013
- Access : Take city bus to Kinkakuji Mae
- Open : 09:00/17:00
- Fee : General : 400 yen / Elementary and Junior High School Students : 300 yen. |
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