Kyoto Recommend : Attractions, Top Temples Day Tour Price & Booking, Budget Hotels Here we are going to introduce some recommended and must see attractions, mainly temples, in Kyoto, the former capital of Japan, where you can see a lot of historical tourist sites. These Kyoto temples and shrines are on the top of recommended list of the must-visit places. Kinkakuji Temple
Famous as 'Golden Pavilion', Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. What makes it different from other temples is the main hall of Kinkaku-ji covered in brilliant gold leaf, shining above its reflecting pond.
Needless to say, due to its beauty, the temple can be packed any day of the year. Thus, we recommend you going early in the day or just before closing, ideally on a weekday.
![]() The original building was built in 1397 as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. His son converted it into a temple. In 1950 a young monk consummated his obsession with the temple by burning it to the ground. The monk's story was fictionalised in Mishima Yukio's The Golden Pavilion. In 1955 a full reconstruction was completed that followed the original design, but the gold-foil covering was extended to the lower floors.
![]() Home to a sumptuous garden and elegant structures, Ginkaku-ji is one of Kyoto's premier sites. The temple started its life in 1482 as a retirement villa Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa retreat from the turmoil of a civil war. After Yoshimasa's death, the villa was converted into a temple.
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