{"chapterKey":"japan/kyoto-4-kinkakuji-and-ginkakuji","title":"Kyoto 4, Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji","regionSlug":"japan","status":"published","photos":[{"sha":"ac4ce9c57ef6eb8898fc43a8dd58031feaf4866b93d244bcf5da00cd8329317f","caption":"One of Kyoto's icons, the Golden Pavilion was built by the third Ashikaga Shogun—Yoshimitsu by name—a fully qualified member of a dynasty whose members would have judged Macbeth a pansy. Still, Yoshimitsu was an esthete, and he designed here the paradise promised by the Amida Buddha. It contains all the elements shown on mandalas: a paradise garden, an Amida Buddha, a treasure hall, a pond, a holy place under trees, a place for music, a place for saints, and a place for angels and holy animals. The hall was originally more modest, with only the ceiling of the top floor gilt; the gaudier format today dates from 1955. Originally, the pond was covered with lotus; now it's mostly surrounded by people.","width":878,"height":583,"aspect":1.506,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/aba6671571eaa19ed5eb955a7a2400d3","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4bdeca77cbf02829a002f00401b20e38","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e18d888c70ae8d10c17a5403050c739d","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9f7b8fecbafd8933c3cf35bf82563b02","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9f7b8fecbafd8933c3cf35bf82563b02","altText":"One of Kyoto's icons, the Golden Pavilion was built by the third Ashikaga Shogun—Yoshimitsu by name—a fully qualified member of a dynasty wh"},{"sha":"a90aef1e954708c950a74bde39657a6f42d43d1abfa347cb2af39c0a16d7dfad","caption":"The comparatively austere Silver Pavilion or Ginkakuji was built by Shogun Ashikaya Yoshimasa in 1479 but became a Rinzai Zen temple and monastery after his death. In near ruins by the 1890s, it has now been restored to a perhaps excessive degree of perfection. Still, its self-effacement seems philosophically truer to Zen Buddhism than does its now-flashy mate, Kinkakuji.","width":1024,"height":1536,"aspect":0.6667,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"beside_text","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/59126049179ab7214605637150f77dc7","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8522dfce88d04efb8641e805ab6ee48d","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a90aef1e954708c950a74bde39657a6f","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d02a09b6f7193defb125e73ff035c60a","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d02a09b6f7193defb125e73ff035c60a","altText":"The comparatively austere Silver Pavilion or Ginkakuji was built by Shogun Ashikaya Yoshimasa in 1479 but became a Rinzai Zen temple and mon"},{"sha":"29eef3c720d11a1c652c99e1cee789f3c012983ec71fd931d9480625b4cd3188","caption":"Perhaps excessive degree of perfection? How about the entrance with these camellia hedges—as rigid as Versailles.","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f6cb34610b71bc454aa548c54bd5aafb","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/534e06a44fbd1da7bfd7ddc2f947d30a","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d57940d9f16d4a2df0fdf330f6488ea5","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e735980afb37a093e1c645d95a4c435b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e735980afb37a093e1c645d95a4c435b","altText":"Perhaps excessive degree of perfection? How about the entrance with these camellia hedges—as rigid as Versailles."},{"sha":"8913155c6999ad29bc7f2f594b72b894a8e4e468a5962748fab66d6c327b012a","caption":"You can see the line of the hedges behind that white signboard. In the left-center, the Silver Pavilion, behind the Brocade Mirror Pond. On the right, the Togu-do or East Seeking Hall, a temple for the Amida Buddha; in front of it, the Ginshandan (Sea of Silver Sand) garden. Walkways rise up the slope from which this picture was taken.","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cfe022ed915f87c76a30f5f3641ce463","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e655e86fe4c050ca53716993ea6dcec3","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/eaadd8f422d5473e18fb40a0d34a6b0b","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1b0e7c92fbe4524924aba6827d2ca182","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1b0e7c92fbe4524924aba6827d2ca182","altText":"You can see the line of the hedges behind that white signboard. In the left-center, the Silver Pavilion, behind the Brocade Mirror Pond. On"},{"sha":"bcbba75a7e4b5416a60e314c7e333677296d63b0f3b88026b8b08db732012fe0","caption":"Walkway around the pond.","width":1024,"height":1536,"aspect":0.6667,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b12c014c646733237f21361159cc2777","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a51e24258c05ce95c3b1a09f39026c9e","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/bcbba75a7e4b5416a60e314c7e333677","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/447a69cfd80fdafe446336446c960399","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/447a69cfd80fdafe446336446c960399","altText":"Walkway around the pond."},{"sha":"5d3a9925264a46428b5e7b041bbeaa47306b31b92adbff924bf96ab1f58c033e","caption":"Path up the hill.","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2a1520e44e8bebc0c1f883982a6f772f","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0b4b2e3f8891a2533b1f8834aa512f38","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2aab8432537b571a4e88f60c3025ffbb","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c769bb2c6d377d46112e271b0f0a28ef","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c769bb2c6d377d46112e271b0f0a28ef","altText":"Path up the hill."},{"sha":"3ec6bc5909e48d14f816773d7f2d17639e923ceb9eb8eed0060a2e9ab364087c","caption":"Steps and bamboo railings.","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0ebfac44e0bfa12e7a86e98a8896d7f4","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/750dc2473d8c04e3d0137ecf111ff9ab","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cd726a94712a95d5c941c599bb185d77","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/57a577510b3c4c203d50e3434bfb8e2a","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/57a577510b3c4c203d50e3434bfb8e2a","altText":"Steps and bamboo railings."},{"sha":"ec2cf7cdffe3683c773e9686b1cff83ac95d3b3f6f8aea2a6158f95281141765","caption":"Just in case you weren't feeling sufficiently controlled!","width":1024,"height":1536,"aspect":0.6667,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e74df78671708b608fbeb385f4627607","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7603e08717c6796a74c40855ca2207c6","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ec2cf7cdffe3683c773e9686b1cff83a","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f8d3cf4bac4a75df53d9c1577570a7ba","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f8d3cf4bac4a75df53d9c1577570a7ba","altText":"Just in case you weren't feeling sufficiently controlled!"},{"sha":"aefc83bd15cad03cecbc2cb04d5322b797bfa799218ff0b929647ffcff408df1","caption":"The use of bamboo is extraordinary, beautiful, and perhaps a tad compulsive.","width":1024,"height":1536,"aspect":0.6667,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0b105cb7df7ea8da6864b9c6d394ca44","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/88a7024544a759b953907af2cf293f9b","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/aefc83bd15cad03cecbc2cb04d5322b7","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c049e40d748502e7fb9b685490fd3c7a","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c049e40d748502e7fb9b685490fd3c7a","altText":"The use of bamboo is extraordinary, beautiful, and perhaps a tad compulsive."},{"sha":"e70fd934ff64ce305d03b1ef020df4d9a36588ce728a0377794c314b3410e401","caption":"Organic architecture?","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4b76b4b453320bda7cecc9ddf3bec55b","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/147fedf33db577e8c2db26d8e7f203fe","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/436f25add642e1580f464dc78b6ac012","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5a9b0027cbedaccb0ffeada446f97769","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5a9b0027cbedaccb0ffeada446f97769","altText":"Organic architecture?"},{"sha":"4c59f9a8d24918ed36c0b38a733de575464f7cb7f8f9c7fa142ff3a08cfc2d20","caption":"Hard to beat for purity of form and simplicity of materials.","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6e158dd246519a4e311e8110a05087dc","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c20d63c2862441af2d1ab4f2f38b012c","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cbb5f162d2494c044a28ddf1ed68bd69","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8446499816df3ce1e948d1803f6a84ca","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8446499816df3ce1e948d1803f6a84ca","altText":"Hard to beat for purity of form and simplicity of materials."},{"sha":"94142b05d1ef5907513970310707f83ec496b407226e76983fc80bd4bb8f65ba","caption":"Help that branch.","width":1536,"height":1024,"aspect":1.5,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9a91ff4744035617e7a6155264b96a28","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0bc89af2e7dbd98b043c3a155c00d6b8","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4b0f4fda1c9bdb192cecca7023213dbf","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7061cc7db5dd62c9f9a533e6d4b296a3","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7061cc7db5dd62c9f9a533e6d4b296a3","altText":"Help that branch."}],"createdAt":"2022-05-03T16:40:03.957Z","updatedAt":"2022-05-03T16:40:03.957Z","lead":"These are the Golden and Silver Pavilions, built as private retreats but posthumously redesignated as Zen temples.","visitedDate":"2001","publishedDate":"2001-05-16T04:00:00.000Z","originalUrl":"https://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=212&chapterid=218&picturesize=medium","heroSha":"ac4ce9c57ef6eb8898fc43a8dd58031feaf4866b93d244bcf5da00cd8329317f","authorLabel":"Bryan Wallach","_meta":{"sameAs":[]}}