Ginkaku-ji
慈照寺 · Buddhist temple
The temple records that Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth Muromachi shogun, began building a mountain villa here in 1482, and that after his death in 1490 the villa was turned into a Zen temple according to his wishes. It belongs to the Shokoku-ji branch of the Rinzai school.
The temple names the Kannon-den and the Togu-do among its buildings, and in the garden the Ginshadan sand field and the Kogetsudai mound. It records that Yoshimasa entrusted the garden work to Zen'ami.
Hours
The times below are the times published by the temple.
| Summer (1 March – 30 November) | 8:30–17:00Ginkaku-ji — official site |
|---|---|
| Winter (1 December – end of February) | 9:00–16:30Ginkaku-ji — official site |
Admission
We have not confirmed a charge from this temple's own pages. Check on the day, or on the official site listed below.
Getting there
- Ginkakuji-michi bus stop — about 10 minutes on foot
- Demachiyanagi Station — about 35 minutes on foot
Address: Ginkakuji-cho 2, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Where this fits in the walk
This route starts at Ginkaku-ji, at the northern end of the path. Its opening time changes with the season: 8:30 from March to November, 9:00 in winter.
This shows the order of the walk. It is a diagram, not a map, and not to scale. Walking times are map-route estimates between the listed locations.
Sources
| History and background, What you can see | Ginkaku-ji — history and grounds |
|---|---|
| Summer (1 March – 30 November), Winter (1 December – end of February) | Ginkaku-ji — official site |
| Getting there | Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Ginkaku-ji |
Information checked: September 4, 2026.