Charter Tour of Kinkaku-ji: The Golden Pilgrimage

👉 In the early morning, start your chartered trip from Osaka at a leisurely pace to embrace the golden legend by the water.
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👉 Kinkaku-ji was originally the residence of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, called Kitayama-dono. It was named Rokuon-ji after Yoshimitsu’s posthumous Buddhist name.
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👉 The name Kinkaku-ji comes from the Shariden (Relic Hall) decorated with gold leaf, quietly standing across the Mirror Pond. The gold leaf covering it is not flashy or glaring, but a warm, profound, almost internally glowing divine gold.
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👉 The three-story pavilion harmoniously blends three different architectural styles:
The first floor, Hosui-in, is in the style of a Heian period aristocratic residence, calm and restrained;
The second floor, Chōon-dō, reflects samurai architecture, solemn and powerful;
The top third floor is purely in the style of a Chinese Zen Buddhist temple, crowned with a golden bronze phoenix spreading its wings, like the finishing touch that breathes soul into the entire structure.
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👉 You cannot get close and can only admire it from around the Mirror Pond. This seems like a Zen arrangement—the most beautiful existence always maintains an unbridgeable distance from the observer. The golden reflection perfectly mirrors in the pond’s glassy water, creating a complete and still world between reality and illusion.
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👉 Walking past the bell tower, you will find the tea house "Sekkatei," built by Edo period guardian Hōrin Jōshō, and the "Fudō-dō," constructed by Ukita Hideie during the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
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👉 Before exiting, pass by a small amulet shop where you can get a charm inscribed with “Family Safety,” as if to bring a bit of this moment’s awe and tranquility home with you.

📍 TIPS
• Kinkaku-ji is beautiful in all seasons, but the best times to visit are autumn and winter. In autumn, the fiery red maple leaves and the golden shimmering Kinkaku reflected in the Mirror Pond create a dazzlingly romantic scene. In winter, snowflakes fall on Kinkaku and the surrounding trees, covering the ground in white; the snow-covered Kinkaku and garden are among Kyoto’s most beautiful winter landscapes.
• The visit route is a one-way loop; once you enter, you cannot turn back.
• The "Ginga Spring" beside the Shariden is the pure water Ashikaga Yoshimitsu used for tea.