Ginkakuji Temple

A Zen temple from the 15th century AD. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens, with famous decorative sand patterns, trees, and ponds, said to have been designed by a well-known architect called Sōami. The entire complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The construction of the temple started in the 15th century under the direction of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, one of the shoguns of the Muromachi clan. The temple is typical of the architecture of this era. Although it eventually fell into disrepair, It had undergone an extensive reconstruction in 2008 and is now again open to visitors.

Although this temple's original name is Higashiyama Bishoji Temple, it quickly became known by the name it got in the Edo period: the Silver Pavilion. This name was inspired by the fact that the entire temple was originally meant to be covered in silver.