Kinkaku - ji Temple (Rokuon - ji Temple)
N 35° 02.373 E 135° 43.706
53S E 566439 N 3877671
Rokuon - ji Temple was originally built as a villa by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who had taken possession of a mountain villa of Saionji Temple in 1397. It was converted into a temple after Yoshimitsu's death.
Waymark Code: WM2VQX
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Date Posted: 12/26/2007
Views: 77
The following information comes from Kyoto's Tourism site (
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Officially named Rokuonji Temple, this temple is famous both in Japan and abroad as a symbol of Kitayama culture. The Kinkaku, or "Golden Pavilion," was built as the Shariden. Covered with gold, the image of the pavilion, which stands at the edge of Kyokochi pond, is reflected in the water. Major repair work performed in 1987 has further enhanced its brilliance.
The following information comes from the sites webpage (
visit link)
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.
The gardens of Japanese temples reflect the Buddhist worldview, as do the temple buildings. Simply by visiting a temple and experiencing its environment, one comes into contact with the teachings of Buddhism in a form even more convincing than sermons or lectures on Buddhist doctrine.
With the dramatic growth of the Japanese economy after World War II, Kinkaku-ji has become an extremely popular tourist destination. Large numbers of people have had the opportunity to experience and learn to appreciate Zen and Zen culture through visits to Kinkaku-ji. As the result of the many people involved with the temple's administration and upkeep over its long history, visiting Kinkaku-ji has emerged as a unique method of propagating the Buddhist teachings.
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