A complete guide to the Ginkakuji temple in Kyoto
Image Copyright: Ollie Ronin.
Introduction
Ginkakuji, also known as Jishoji or the Silver Pavillion, is a 500-year-old (Est. 1490) Zen Buddhist temple located next to the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto. It has an amazing garden which is particularly stunning during autumn, and features a small viewpoint with a lovely view over northern Kyoto.
Ginkakuji was built as a retirement villa by the grandson of the shogun who built Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple. His passion for art led to the beautiful design of the garden and temple grounds, and he donated the villa to become a Zen Buddhist temple upon his death in 1490.
Some of the temple features include: a sand garden with a Fuji-shaped monument, a moss garden with maple leaves, a koi pond, a nice viewpoint, and the original 500-year-old silver pavilion.
Table of Contents
Location & Access
Ginkakuji is at the northern end of the Philosopher's Path, which is a 1.5km stone path that's famous for its cherry blossoms. The street that connects the path to the temple is lined with humble souvenir shops, street food, and cafes. It's somewhat out of the way for public transport as there's no nearby train station, but you can catch the bus which will take 30 minutes from Downtown or Gion. It's also common for people to ride their bikes here or simply catch a taxi.
🕗 Opening Hours
8:30am - 5:00pm (Last entry 4:30pm)
📍 Location
The Philosopher's Path, North-East Kyoto. (Google Maps)
30-minute bus from Downtown or Gion
💴 Entry Price
¥500 per person
Seasons
🌸 Cherry Blossoms
Ginkakuji is not known for its cherry blossoms, but is still worth the visit while enjoying the Philosopher's Path
🍁 Autumn Leaves
Mid-November to early December
☀️ Summer
June - August.
Average temp. 32°C
❄️ Winter
Snowfall. 1-3 times per year.
Interesting Facts & History
Originally built as the retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, grandson of the Shogun who built the famous Golden Temple, his passion for art led to the stunning design of the garden and temple grounds.
Yoshimasa became a Zen Buddhist monk in 1485, and arranged for the property to become a Buddhist temple upon his death in 1490 (at the age of 54).
The "Silver Pavilion" temple building is the original structure that has survived 500 years thanks to preservation and restoration efforts. It's survived multiple earthquakes and nearby fires.
Zen Buddhist culture is not entirely represented in this garden because it was financed by the shogunate as a retreat and the primary use was aesthetic enjoyment. Instead of being designed by monks for religious purposes.
Its official name is Jishoji, which means temple of shining mercy
The original plan was to eventually cover the building in silver foil, but the work was delayed so long that this plan was never completed.
Nearby Attractions
The Philosopher's Path. Image Copyright: Ollie Ronin
Along with the Philosopher's Path, Ginkakuji is located next to the trailhead for Mt. Daimonji, a 45-minute hike that provides the best views over Kyoto. It's particularly beautiful for watching the sunset and is popular with locals, you can read a guide to hiking Daimonji here.
A 30-minute walk from Ginkakuji along the Philosopher's Path will bring you to the amazing Eikando temple. It's a great addition to an itinerary in this area and also connects to Nanzenji temple, another famous spot for autumn leaves.
