Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion)

What to know

Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) is a Zen temple located along Kyoto's eastern mountains, Higashiyama. In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the temple grounds, inspired by Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather's villa at the base of Kyoto's northern mountains, Kitayama. After Yoshimasa's death in 1490, the villa was converted into a Zen temple.

As the retirement villa of an art-obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became a center of contemporary culture known as Higashiyama Culture, contrasting with the Kitayama Culture of his grandfather's era. While Kitayama Culture was limited to Kyoto's aristocratic circles, Higashiyama Culture had a broad impact across Japan. Arts refined during this period include the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, Noh theater, poetry, garden design, and architecture.

Today, Ginkakuji features the Silver Pavilion, several other temple buildings, a beautiful moss garden, and a unique dry sand garden. Visitors enjoy a circular walking route around the grounds, offering views of the gardens and buildings.

The Silver Pavilion, formally named Kannonden (Kannon Hall), can be seen shortly after entering. Its two stories are built in different architectural styles and house a statue of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. The interior is not open to the public.

Despite its name, the Silver Pavilion was never covered in silver. The nickname arose more than a century after construction to contrast it with the Golden Pavilion. Alternatively, moonlight reflecting on its dark exterior (once coated in black lacquer) may have given it a silvery appearance.

The pavilion is one of only two original buildings on the grounds to survive fires and earthquakes over the centuries, though it undergoes periodic renovations to stay well-preserved.