4/26/2006

The Golden Pavillion is one of those sites that you’ll always find on postcards from Japan. This great, big, gaudy …..well, pavillion is one of the most popular sites in Kyoto.

It’s a little bit of an anti-climax to get there. Yes, it’s very nice, you take a few photos and you leave. Kinkakuji is not a temple and there is no way inside it. There is actually a temple on the site, but it’s a very small and a more-or-less unintersting affair. The gift shop is larger than the temple. Of course, the path leads you to the Golden Pavillion first, then you wind back to the gift shop and temple.

Another disappointing thing about Kinkakuji is that it’s only 50 years old. The original Golden Pavillion was built in 1397 (but was torn down and restored a few times) until in 1950, it was burnt to a ground by a crazed monk. The story of that monk was made into a novel and a movie, which might be more interesting than your visit to the site itself.

Kinkakuji is not a complete waste of time but I think it’s best to visit it in the late afternoon before it gets dark. It’s in the north-west corner of Kyoto, out of the way of most of the attractions, so basically, after a long day around maybe Ni-jo Castle or Arashiyama, you can grab a taxi and fit in this one last attraction before going to get dinner. Also, the position of the sun near sunset is perfect for taking photos of the building.

Link:
Wikipedia’s article on Kinkakuji