Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺), or the "Temple of the Silver Pavilion”, located at the food of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, Higashiyama, was originally built by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (足利 義政) in 1482 as a retirement villa. Yoshimasa, the 8th Ashikaga shogunate during the Muromachi period, modeled the Ginkaku-ji after Kinkaku-ji, the retirement villa commissioned by his grandfather, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third Ashikaga shogunate. After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, Ginkaku-ji was converted to a zen temple, Jishō-ji (慈照寺), or the "Temple of Shining Mercy," which, today, is associated with the Shokoku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen.
As the retirement villa of an art obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became the center of Higashiyama Bunka (東山文化), or Higashiyama Culture or the Culture of the Eastern Mountain, which unlike the Kitayama Bunka (北山文化) of his grandfather’s times, had a broad impact on the entire country. Based largely on the ideals and aesthetics of Zen Buddhism and the concept of wabi-sabi (beauty in simplicity), it was during Higashiyama Bunka that much of what is commonly seen today as traditional Japanese culture originated and developed, including chadō (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging), Noh drama, and sumi-e ink painting.
The two-storied Kannon-den (観音殿), or Kannon hall, is the temple’s main structure and lends its popular name, Ginkaku, or the Silver Pavilion, to the temple. This name dates back, only, to the early Edo period, and its origin is is disputed. Some believe it is owed to Yoshimasa's initial plans--halted during the Onion War--to cover the pavilion's exterior in silver foil; others claim its due to the silvery appearance created by moonlight reflecting on the formerly black lacquered exterior. It is one of only two buildings, along with the Tōgudō, on the grounds to have survived intact over the years. The property also features wooded grounds, a Japanese garden designed by the great landscape artist Sōami, and a well known sand garden known as the "Sea of Silver Sand."
Tags: rock garden Ginkaku-ji Temple of the Silver Pavilion 銀閣寺 Tōzan Jishō-ji Tozan Jisho-ji Jishio-ji Temple Jishō-ji Jisho-ji Temple of Shining Mercy 慈照寺 東山慈照寺 temple Buddhist temple Buddhist Sakyō-ku Sakyo-ku Sakyō Sakyo 左京区 左京 UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) Historic Monuments Ancient Kyoto Kyoto 京都 Kyōto Kyoto Prefecture 京都府 Kyōto-fu Kyoto-fu Keihanshin 京阪神 けいはんしん Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Kansai region 関西地方 Kansai-chihō Kansai Kansai-chiho Kinki region 近畿地方 Kinki-chihō Kinki-chiho Japan Nihon Nippon Honshu Honshū
Tetsugaku no Michi (哲学の道), or the Philosopher’s Walk or the Philosopher’s Path, is a pedestrian path following the cherry-tree-lined Lake Biwa Canal in the northern part of the Higashiyama district. Approximately 2 kilometers long, the path begins around Ginkaku-ji and ends at Nanzen-ji. The route is so-named because the influential 20th century Japanese philosopher and professor Nishida Kitaro was said to practice meditation while walking this route on his daily commute to Kyoto University.
Biwako Sosui (琵琶湖疏水 or 琵琶湖疎水), or the Lake Biwa Canal, tunnels 20 kilometers through the mountains to Lake Biwa. Built during the Meiji Period to transport water, freight and passengers from the Lake to the city of Kyoto, it was also used as Japan’s first hydroelectric power generator, which served to provide electricity for Kyoto's trams.
Tags: Philosopher's Walk Philosopher's Path Tetsugaku no Michi 哲学の道 Lake Biwa Canal Biwako Sosui 琵琶湖疏水 琵琶湖疎水 Sakyō-ku Sakyo-ku Sakyō Sakyo 左京区 左京 Kyoto 京都 Kyōto Kyoto Prefecture 京都府 Kyōto-fu Kyoto-fu Keihanshin 京阪神 けいはんしん Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Kansai region 関西地方 Kansai-chihō Kansai Kansai-chiho Kinki region 近畿地方 Kinki-chihō Kinki-chiho Japan Nihon Nippon 日本国 日本 本州 Honshū Honshu
The Ginkaku-ji gaki, or Ginkaku-ji fencing, is a 50-meter long pathway between the main gate and inner gate.
Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺), or the "Temple of the Silver Pavilion”, located at the food of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, Higashiyama, was originally built by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (足利 義政) in 1482 as a retirement villa. Yoshimasa, the 8th Ashikaga shogunate during the Muromachi period, modeled the Ginkaku-ji after Kinkaku-ji, the retirement villa commissioned by his grandfather, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third Ashikaga shogunate. After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, Ginkaku-ji was converted to a zen temple, Jishō-ji (慈照寺), or the "Temple of Shining Mercy," which, today, is associated with the Shokoku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen.
As the retirement villa of an art obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became the center of Higashiyama Bunka (東山文化), or Higashiyama Culture or the Culture of the Eastern Mountain, which unlike the Kitayama Bunka (北山文化) of his grandfather’s times, had a broad impact on the entire country. Based largely on the ideals and aesthetics of Zen Buddhism and the concept of wabi-sabi (beauty in simplicity), it was during Higashiyama Bunka that much of what is commonly seen today as traditional Japanese culture originated and developed, including chadō (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging), Noh drama, and sumi-e ink painting. Having retired to the villa, it is said that Yoshimasa retreated here
The two-storied Kannon-den (観音殿), or Kannon hall, is the temple’s main structure and lends its popular name, Ginkaku, or the Silver Pavilion, to the temple. This name dates back, only, to the early Edo period, and its origin is is disputed. Some believe it is owed to Yoshimasa's initial plans--halted during the Onion War--to cover the pavilion's exterior in silver foil; others claim its due to the silvery appearance created by moonlight reflecting on the formerly black lacquered exterior. It is one of only two buildings, along with the Tōgudō, on the grounds to have survived intact over the years.
The property also features wooded grounds, The a Japanese garden designed by the great landscape artist Sōami, and a meticulously manicured sand garden known as Ginshadan (銀沙灘), or the "Sea of Silver Sand."
Ginkaku-ji, along with 16 other locations across Kyōto, Uji and Ōtsu, comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities), designated in 1994.
Tags: Ginkaku-ji gaki Ginkaku-ji fencing Ginkaku-ji Temple of the Silver Pavilion 銀閣寺 Tōzan Jishō-ji Tozan Jisho-ji Jishio-ji Temple Jishō-ji Jisho-ji Temple of Shining Mercy 慈照寺 東山慈照寺 temple Buddhist temple Buddhist Sakyō-ku Sakyo-ku Sakyō Sakyo 左京区 左京 UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) Historic Monuments Ancient Kyoto Kyoto 京都 Kyōto Kyoto Prefecture 京都府 Kyōto-fu Kyoto-fu Keihanshin 京阪神 けいはんしん Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Kansai region 関西地方 Kansai-chihō Kansai Kansai-chiho Kinki region 近畿地方 Kinki-chihō Kinki-chiho Japan Nihon Nippon 日本国 日本 本州 Honshū Honshu
Tags: pickles iced pickles Imadegawa-dori Sakyō-ku Sakyo-ku Sakyō Sakyo 左京区 左京 Kyoto 京都 Kyōto Kyoto Prefecture 京都府 Kyōto-fu Kyoto-fu Keihanshin 京阪神 けいはんしん Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Kansai region 関西地方 Kansai-chihō Kansai Kansai-chiho Kinki region 近畿地方 Kinki-chihō Kinki-chiho Japan Nihon Nippon 日本国 日本 Honshu Honshū
Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺), or the "Temple of the Silver Pavilion”, located at the food of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, Higashiyama, was originally built by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (足利 義政) in 1482 as a retirement villa. Yoshimasa, the 8th Ashikaga shogunate during the Muromachi period, modeled the Ginkaku-ji after Kinkaku-ji, the retirement villa commissioned by his grandfather, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third Ashikaga shogunate. After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, Ginkaku-ji was converted to a zen temple, Jishō-ji (慈照寺), or the "Temple of Shining Mercy," which, today, is associated with the Shokoku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen.
As the retirement villa of an art obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became the center of Higashiyama Bunka (東山文化), or Higashiyama Culture or the Culture of the Eastern Mountain, which unlike the Kitayama Bunka (北山文化) of his grandfather’s times, had a broad impact on the entire country. Based largely on the ideals and aesthetics of Zen Buddhism and the concept of wabi-sabi (beauty in simplicity), it was during Higashiyama Bunka that much of what is commonly seen today as traditional Japanese culture originated and developed, including chadō (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging), Noh drama, and sumi-e ink painting.
The two-storied Kannon-den (観音殿), or Kannon hall, is the temple’s main structure and lends its popular name, Ginkaku, or the Silver Pavilion, to the temple. This name dates back, only, to the early Edo period, and its origin is is disputed. Some believe it is owed to Yoshimasa's initial plans--halted during the Onion War--to cover the pavilion's exterior in silver foil; others claim its due to the silvery appearance created by moonlight reflecting on the formerly black lacquered exterior. It is one of only two buildings, along with the Tōgudō, on the grounds to have survived intact over the years.
The property also features wooded grounds, The a Japanese garden designed by the great landscape artist Sōami, and a meticulously manicured sand garden known as Ginshadan (銀沙灘), or the "Sea of Silver Sand." At the edge of the Ginshadan is a distinctive cone-shaped mound called the Kōgetsudai (向月台), or Moon-Viewing Platform, said to represent Mount Fuji. The legend says that the Ginshadan is meant to reflect the moon, which is to be viewed from perched atop the Kōgetsudai. Both these elements, however, only date to the Edo period and known the complex's Muromachi-period glory days.
Ginkaku-ji, along with 16 other locations across Kyōto, Uji and Ōtsu, comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities), designated in 1994.
Tags: Ginshadan Kōgetsudai Kogetsudai 銀沙灘 Sea of Silver Sand sand garden 向月台 Moon Viewing Platform Ginkaku-ji Temple of the Silver Pavilion 銀閣寺 Tōzan Jishō-ji Tozan Jisho-ji Jishio-ji Temple Jishō-ji Jisho-ji Temple of Shining Mercy 慈照寺 東山慈照寺 temple Buddhist temple Buddhist Sakyō-ku Sakyo-ku Sakyō Sakyo 左京区 左京 UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) Historic Monuments Ancient Kyoto Kyoto 京都 Kyōto Kyoto Prefecture 京都府 Kyōto-fu Kyoto-fu Keihanshin 京阪神 けいはんしん Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Kansai region 関西地方 Kansai-chihō Kansai Kansai-chiho Kinki region 近畿地方 Kinki-chihō Kinki-chiho Japan Nihon Nippon Honshu Honshū