Quiz about Kinkaku-ji: tidbits to help you understand the Golden Pavilion

Galaxy Spring

Kinkaku-ji has a spring called Ginga-sen (“Milky Way Spring”). It is a water source located near Gekkasui, behind Ryūmon Falls at the very back of the temple grounds. The name conveys the meaning of “water as pure as the Milky Way,” and it was originally known as water used for preparing tea.

Rokuon-ji (Kinkaku-ji)

The official name of Kinkaku-ji is Rokuon-ji. Kinkaku-ji is a temple located in Kyoto’s Kita Ward; its real name is Rokuon-ji and its temple mountain name is Kitayama. “Kinkaku” is also the common name for the Shariden, the main building within Rokuon-ji, and it was given this name because it is covered in gold leaf.

Rinzai school (of Zen Buddhism)

Kinkaku-ji is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple, belonging to the Rinzai sect’s Shokoku-ji branch, whose head temple is Shokoku-ji in Kamigyo Ward. Rinzai is a school of Zen Buddhism that centers on zazen (seated meditation) as a practice to approach enlightenment. It was a form of Buddhism that was introduced to Japan in the early Kamakura period.

Kochō Wabisuke

The garden of Kinkaku-ji is planted with many kinds of plants, including a type of camellia called “Kocho Wabisuke.” This camellia has a distinctive beauty and plays a role in highlighting the temple’s classical aesthetic. Interestingly, this camellia has no other names and is widely known specifically as “Kocho Wabisuke,” making it a rare variety. When you visit Kinkaku-ji, be sure to look for the blossoms of this beautiful camellia.

can't see

From the Kyoto Tower observation deck, you can take in a panoramic view of the city. While you might imagine being able to look down on all the famous tourist spots from above, Kinkaku-ji unfortunately isn’t visible because it’s surrounded by nearby mountains and buildings. Perhaps to prevent people from being disappointed when they expect to see it but can’t, there’s a “Not visible” label pointing in the direction of Kinkaku-ji on the observation deck.

Saionji

Before Kinkaku-ji was built, a Jōdo sect temple called Saionji stood on the same site. It was owned by the Saionji family, distant relatives of the Fujiwara clan, but it passed into the hands of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who then constructed Kinkaku-ji. Saionji was later relocated to another location.

Yukio Mishima

In 1950, an actual arson incident occurred at Kinkaku-ji, which had a profound impact on Yukio Mishima. Using this as a motif, he wrote the novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, which he published in 1956. In this work, Mishima delves deeply into obsession with beauty and the impulse toward destruction, bringing to light the darkness within the human heart.