Kyoto NW · KinugasaNo.123★★★Open in map →
Kinkaku-ji
— the Golden Pavilion mirrored in its pond
A Zen temple in northwest Kyoto whose upper floors are coated in gold leaf. The hall stands at the edge of a pond designed to reflect it and the surrounding hills.
Kinkaku-ji, officially Rokuon-ji and managed by the nearby head temple Shokoku-ji, is one of Kyoto's most recognised sights. The upper two floors of its main hall are covered in gold leaf; a bronze phoenix stands on the shingled roof. The hall sits at the edge of Kyoko-chi, the Mirror Pond, laid out so the water reflects both the pavilion and the wooded hills behind it. The grounds follow a fixed one-way path from the ticket gate, around the pond and through the garden. Open 9:00 to 17:00 every day of the year.
Background & history
In 1397 Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the military ruler of the time, began building a mountain villa on this site. After his death in 1408 the estate became the Zen temple Rokuon-ji as he had wished. The three floors each follow a different style: an aristocratic palace style on the ground floor, a samurai-house style on the second, and a Zen temple style with bell-shaped windows on the third. The pavilion was destroyed by arson in 1950 and rebuilt in 1955. In 1994 it was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto."
What to look for — in walking order
- Ticket gate and approach
- admission paid here (500 yen adults, 300 yen children); the one-way garden path begins
- Kyoko-chi (Mirror Pond)
- the pond designed to reflect the pavilion and the surrounding hills
- Gold-leaf pavilion
- the upper two floors coated in gold leaf and topped by a bronze phoenix
- Tea areas and viewpoints
- further rest spots and viewpoints along the garden path
How to enjoy it
Arrive close to the 9:00 opening to see the pavilion before the crowds build, then follow the one-way path at an easy pace. Still, overcast light gives the clearest reflection in the pond. Admission is paid in cash at the gate, so bring some cash.
How to actually get there
- Kyoto Stn → Kinkakuji-michi stop (Kyoto City Bus 205, ~40 min).
- Or: Kyoto Stn → Kitaoji Stn (Karasuma Subway Line), then Kitaoji → Kinkakuji-michi (Bus 204/205, ~11 min).
- Kinkakuji-michi stop → temple gate (on foot, ~5 min north).
- Buy your ticket at the gate (500 yen) and follow the one-way garden path around Kyoko-chi pond.
- City Bus 205 direct, or Subway + bus (faster)
- Simplest: Kyoto Stn →(Kyoto City Bus 205, ~40 min, 230 yen)→ Kinkakuji-michi stop, then walk ~5 min north to the gate. Faster and less crowded (recommended by Kyoto's tourism site): Kyoto Stn →(Karasuma Subway Line to Kitaoji Stn)→ transfer at Kitaoji Bus Terminal →(City Bus 204 or 205, ~11 min)→ Kinkakuji-michi, then walk ~5 min. Buses run several times an hour, so there is no single timetable to catch.
- Same buses back, or the subway route in reverse
- Take Bus 205 back toward Kyoto Station, or Bus 204/205 to Kitaoji Station and the Karasuma Subway Line from there. Buses run frequently through the day. You can also continue west by bus to the nearby temples Ryoan-ji and Ninna-ji on the same Kinugasa route.
Before you go
- Cash
- IC transport cards (rechargeable tap cards such as ICOCA or Suica) work on the city buses. Temple admission (500 yen adults, 300 yen children) is paid in cash at the gate; there is no advance reservation.
- Closing days
- The garden path is one-way and outdoors, and some sections get muddy and slippery after heavy rain, so wear suitable shoes. You cannot go inside the pavilion itself — it is viewed only from the outside. Open 9:00-17:00.
- Another way
- The direct Bus 205 from Kyoto Station is often crowded and slow because of many stops; the subway-to-Kitaoji route above is the calmer choice in busy seasons.
- After you get off
- From Kinkakuji-michi bus stop, walk north for about 5 minutes on a paved street to the temple's ticket gate.