Kinkaku-ji: The Golden Pavilion

Japan · temples · gold

Covered in gold leaf. The top two floors of the Golden Pavilion are coated with an incredibly thin layer of real gold, so delicate it's less than a millionth of a meter thick. It makes the whole building sparkle like it's made of sunshine.

A sacred treasure house. The pavilion is officially called a shariden, which is a special building that holds sacred Buddhist relics. The nickname Kinkaku-ji literally means 'Golden Pavilion Temple' in Japanese.

Built back after fire. The original pavilion was destroyed in 1950 when someone set it on fire on purpose. But the Japanese people loved it so much that they completely rebuilt it in 1955, even better than before.

Protected world treasure. Kinkaku-ji is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has special protections in Japan as a National Special Historic Site. It's one of the most visited temples in all of Japan.

Surrounded by gardens. The temple sits in a beautiful landscaped garden with ponds, bridges, and carefully placed rocks and plants that reflect Zen Buddhist ideas about nature and peace.