Monday, February 25, 2008

Short visit to Golden Temple (Kinkakuji), Kyoto, Japan (Personal diary from Japan)

I visited to Golden Temple (Kinkakuji) of Kyoto, Japan. Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple formally known as Rokuonji. In 1397 construction started on the Golden Pavilion as part of a new residence for the retired shogun Ashikaga, Yoshimitsu. Kinkakuji was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimitsu's death in 1408. The Golden Pavilion functions as shariden, housing sacred relics of the Buddha and is covered in gold leaf. The present building dates from 1955 as the pavilion was burnt by a fanatic monk in 1950.

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