Ginkakuji (Jishoji)
Ginkakuji (Jishoji)
京都府
World Heritage Zen retreat where Ashikaga Yoshimasa crystallized the wabi aesthetic of Higashiyama culture
Founded
1482
Type
Temple
Visited
Want to go
Access
10 min walk from City Bus Ginkakuji-michi stop
2 Ginkakuji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
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Info
Temple
Founded 1482
544 years
Enshrined Deity
Buddhist Sect
Rinzai Zen (Shokokuji branch)
Overview
A mountain villa temple embodying Higashiyama culture, built by the eighth Muromachi shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Though never actually covered in silver, the Kannon Hall and distinctive sand mounds create a unique beauty. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Origins
In 1482, the 8th Ashikaga shogun Yoshimasa began construction of the Higashiyama-dono villa at the foot of Mt. Tsukimachi. Despite the ruined economy after the Onin War, he funded the work through levies on daimyo and commoners. The Silver Pavilion (Kannon-den) was raised in 1489, and after Yoshimas…
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Haiku Composed Here
2

菜の花や月は東に日は西に
Yosa Buson 1774年
Seasonal word
菜の花(春)
摩耶六甲山麓にて。
蕪村の絵師としての目が最もよく発揮された句。東西の月日の光の中に広がる菜の花の黄色が鮮やか。
Show all haiku · 1
Divine Benefits
Warding Off Evil
Purification
Rebirth in Pure Land
Averting disaster, directional protection, warding off epidemics. Central at Fudo, Kannon, and Gion-related sites.
Derived from the enshrined deity "釈迦如来"

Festivals & Events
1

3月
15
Ginkakuji Spring Special Viewing
Special spring viewing of Ginkakuji's iconic sand garden, showcasing Higashiyama culture.

Related Historical Events
1

1483
Higashiyama Culture
Late 15th-century culture centered on the 8th shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa's Higashiyama villa (including the Silver Pavilion). Amid post-Ōnin War turmoil, it established uniquely Japanese aesthetics of simplicity, yūgen, wabi, and Zen. The Silver Pavilion (1489) and Tōgu-dō Dōjinsai room model the shoin-zukuri style that became the template for modern Japanese residences—with tatami, shōji, alcove (tokonoma), staggered shelves, and built-in desk. Dry landscape gardens (Ryōan-ji, Daisen-in), Sesshū's ink landscapes, Murata Jukō's wabi tea origins, Ikenobō flower arrangement, and renga poetry form the backbone of later Japanese culture.
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Visiting Information
Hours
Summer season (Mar 1–Nov 30): 8:30–17:00; Winter season (Dec 1–end of Feb): 9:00–16:30.
Admission
Following the April 1, 2026 fee revision (the first increase in 32 years): high-school age and above ¥1,000, elementary/junior high ¥500, preschool age free.
As of 2026-07-17. Subject to change.
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