On first sight, most visitors are surprised that Kyōto’s famed ‘Silver Pavilion’ isn’t actually silver. One theory is that the name arose as a nickname to contrast it with the Golden Pavilion, while another is that moonlight reflecting on the building's dark exterior, which used to be covered in black lacquer, gave it a silvery appearance.

Whichever, the Ginkaku-ji, one of Kyōto’s most popular temples, features a lovely walk around its grounds, from which the buildings and gardens, including a beautiful moss garden and a unique dry sand garden, can be viewed.

You won’t be here alone, so try to avoid crowds by going early or late. A great way to get to the Ginkaku-ji is to walk the Philosopher’s Path from Nanzen-ji.

If you’re going hiking up Daimonji-yama, the path starts to the left of the entrance to Ginkaku-ji (when looking towards the mountains).

Practical Info

Ginkaku-ji