Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion), Kyoto: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, sits at the base of Kyoto's eastern Higashiyama mountains, a Zen temple built in 1482 as a retirement villa for shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Despite its name, the pavilion was never actually coated in silver—the intended silver-leaf cladding was either never applied or the name is ironic. The grounds include a meticulously raked sand garden called the Sea of Silver Sand, featuring a cone-shaped mound known as the Moon Viewing Platform. A moss-covered path climbs the hillside behind the temple to a lookout with views across Kyoto. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. is just one of many options in Kyoto. Major attractions worth considering include Katsura Imperial Villa (Katsura Rikyu), Kennin-ji Temple, and Ryoan-ji Temple & Garden.