Kinkaku-ji, Zen temple in Kyoto, Japan
Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan.
Originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it was converted into a Zen temple after his death.
The temple's top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf, reflecting the extravagant Kitayama culture of Yoshimitsu's time.
It is open to the public and is a popular tourist destination in Japan.
The temple was burned down twice during the Onin war and once again in 1950 by a fanatic monk.
Location: Kita-ku
Inception: 1397
Founders: Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Musō Soseki
Architectural style: Shinden-zukuri
Floors above the ground: 3
Material: wood, kinpaku, Jōbōji urushi
Website: shokoku-ji.jp/kinkakuji
Sources: Wikimedia, OpenStreetMap
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