Kinkaku-ji
Zen temple · Kita, Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji

Photo: Nacaru · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Golden Pavilion: a Zen temple hall covered in gold leaf, reflected in a mirror pond. The current building is a faithful 1955 rebuild after a fire. A short one-way path loops around the pond and through the garden.

On day 4 of Kyoto in 5 days

Good to know

Time to spend
45 minutes–1 hour
Tickets
Paid entry, open every day, no booking needed
Best time
Opening time on a sunny morning; winter snow is special
Getting there
City bus to Kinkakuji-michi, then 5 min walk

Itineraries with Kinkaku-ji

Day 4 of Kyoto in 5 days

Northern temples and central Kyoto

How Kinkaku-ji fits into a day.
  1. 9:00Kinkaku-jiKita
  2. 10:30Ryōan-ji rock gardenUkyō
  3. 13:30Nijō CastleNakagyō
  4. 16:00Nishiki MarketNakagyō
See all 5 days
Advertisement
Ad space · 728 × 90

Kinkaku-ji questions

Can you go inside the Golden Pavilion?

No. The pavilion is viewed from across the pond and the garden path; the interior is closed to visitors.

Is Kinkaku-ji covered in real gold?

Yes. The upper two floors are coated in gold leaf over lacquer.

More places on this trip