Golden Temple at Kyoto for Travel Photo Mondays

It’s Monday morning, time to enjoy some gorgeous travel photography and inspiration from around the world. Let’s banish those Monday blues by sharing gorgeous imagery and story telling.

 

Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Scenic view of the Golden Temple

Where is the Golden temple of Kinkaku-Ji located?

Situated in a quiet neighborhood area of Northwestern Kyoto, Kinkaku-Ji is one of the most famous templets in Kyoto. You can easily get to the temple from the regional buses that loop around the famous monuments of the city or take a taxi directly to this site.

Address1 Kinkakujicho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8361, Japan

 

 

 

 A visit to the Golden Temple or Kinkaku-Ji at Kyoto

 

The Golden temple or Kinkaku-Ji in Kyoto is a beautiful Buddhist temple made with gold leaf and is one of the most popular temples to visit in Kyoto. A place of retirement and sanctuary for a Japanese nobleman, it was then converted into a zen temple upon his death. The temple is designated as a special historic monument and garden and part of the historic monuments of Kyoto.

 

 

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Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Gilding details to the temple

 

 

 The temple roof is capped with a bronze phoenix ornament

 

 

Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Temple details

 

There is a beautiful garden and trails surrounding the temple in the style of the Muromachi period, a timeframe considered the golden age of Japanese garden design. Created in a minimalist style and characterized with a reduction in scale of plantings (topiary and bonsai) and integrating the buildings naturally to the landscape. These are the hallmarks of a well designed environment while integrating distant views and landscape into the place and vista points where the temple is situated. Even though the temple grounds are small, the borrowed views of the distant hills and valleys add the overall grand scale of the entire environment.

 

Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Garden details

 Fall time at Kinkaku-ji

 The entire complex was destroyed during a war, and then the temple itself was later burned down by a crazy novice monk.  Rebuilt in 1955, the three level structure was then gilded in gold leaf in the upper stories to symbolize a purification of thoughts on death. Also, the lavish design principles embellishing with gold leaf were in line with of the Muromachi style of excess.

 

Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Fall colors in the garden

 

 

The pond fronting the Golden temple represents a Kyocho-chi or mirror lake which reflects the pavilion and connects it to the outside world. The small islands in the pond represent the Japanese islands and the miniature (bonsai) plantings, rock elements and bridges represents Zen ideology with references to famous places in Japanese and Chinese literature.

 

Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Temple in black and white

 

 

 

Golden Temple at Kyoto,Travel Photo Mondays #20

Roof detail

 

More details to visiting the Golden temple of Kinkaku-Ji

After you enter, grab a map to follow the trails and places of interest to visit around the complex and make sure you walk the trail from above to see the temple grounds and surrounding areas below

tip – Fall time is fantastic for fall foliage and spring time is a great time to visit for the sakura cherry blossom blooms.

Hours – 9am to 5pm

Parking is only available on the street

General entry price – 400 Yen

Property is open year round

Check out their website here

 

Please check out these other posts on visiting Kyoto, Japan

Beautiful gardens of Kyoto, Japan

Nijo castle in Kyoto, Japan

Bento lunch in Kyoto, Japan

Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto

Looking for Geishas in Kyoto

Japanese street food or Yatai

 

Conclusion to visiting the Golden Temple of Kinkaku-Ji in Kyoto

It was a fun visit to the Golden Temple at Kyoto, I hope you enjoyed the tour for Travel Photo Mondays. Please come and visit the blogs below for more interesting places and photos from around the world today.

 

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