Kinkakuji Temple, Kinki, Japan

4.5 (17.1k reviews) Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent Ranking #2 in Kinki Religious Sites

Mesmerising Kinkaku-ji Temple

One of Kyoto's most famous attractions, this temple was originally built in 1397 as a residence for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The structure was completely covered in gold leaf, earning it the name Golden Pavilion.
Kinki review images

Address

1 Kinkakujicho, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8361 Kyoto Prefecture

Mobile

+81 75-461-0013

Website

https://www.shokoku-ji.jp/kinkakuji/

Email

[email protected]

Working hours

Monday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Current local date and time now

Sunday, May 05, 2024, 22:42

User Ratings

4.5 based on (17.1k reviews)

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60%

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30%

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Reviews

5Taro T 5:00 PM Jan 8, 2023
Tranquil and mesmerizing
To my surprise the path in the temple takes you very close to the building itself and you get to also see it from the back. If the weather is good don't miss it! There's a convenient taxi stop outside the temple. On the way out there are quite a few stairs so be careful if you are travelling with elderly people who have a hard time walking.
4slesa130 5:00 PM Feb 15, 2020
Pretty but lots of tour groups
A little bit of a bus journey outside the city center but really straightforward to find. There were huge tour buses of tourists when we visited so I would recommend to go either before or after the peak day periods to avoid the crowds. The fee of 400 yen is reasonable for the short walk around the lake and golden pavilion but there is not much else to do there.