6 Things You May Not Have Known About Kinkakuji (金閣寺) in Kyoto

Yup, I took that photo! 

Not only can you see beautiful gardens and THE golden pavilion when you visit. Here are some things you may not have known about the famous "Kinkakuji".


1. It's a Zen Buddhist Temple.


2. It's real name is "Rokuonji" (鹿苑寺).


3. It's a World Heritage site!


4. It was completely burnt down in the 1950s, but almost fully recovered by 1955.


5. Before becoming a temple, it was a shogun's (Ashikaga Yoshimitsu) house (1930s), this is when the garden was built. It became a temple after his death in the 1400s.


6. The shogun's grandson built the "Ginkakuji" (Silver Pavilion), also a famous spot a few decades later.


...and don't forget to buy "Dango" (rice cake) dipped in special sweet soy sauce.




京都観光する時に欠かせない金閣寺!
知っとくと面白い事６つ：
①禅寺である事
②本命は鹿苑寺であるという事
③世界遺産であるという事
④1950年に全焼し、1955年にはほぼ完全に復活したという事(再建)
⑤足利義満の別荘であり、死亡した後、寺になったという事（１４００年代）
⑥足利の孫が金閣寺をインスピレーションに銀閣寺を建てたという事