A trip to Kyoto is not complete without visiting at least one temple. We already visited Kiyomizu Dera but also decided to pay a visit to the “Temple of the Golden Pavillion” aka 金閣寺 (Kin-ka-ku-ji).
KINKAKUJI
It’s basically a 3-floor structure (pagoda that houses relics of Buddha and sits on the edge of a lake) with the top two floors completely covered in gold leaf. It was only recently (I forgot when but the brochure you get when you get there will tell you) that the structure was “re-golden-leafed” and it was done so in a way that it is covered in a thicker layer than it was ever before, so it’s shinier than ever! Tip: Go on a sunny day!
After visiting this amazing structure and taking a ton of photos, you then walk around past the head priest’s former living quarters. When we were there, it seems most people are mesmerized by the golden pavillion that not many folks were paying attention to the living quarters. Anyways, you’ll then see a tea garden (500yen for matcha tea and a small mochi like dessert), a souvenir store and Fudo Hall (a small temple which houses a statue of Fudō myōō, one of the Five Wisdom Kings)
Hours: 9am – 5pm (no closing days)
Fee: 400yen
Transportation: Bus 12, 59, 101, 102, 204, or 205 to Kinkakuji-michi (then 3 min walk)
(Read here for post about getting around tokyo by bus)
日本
〒603-8361 京都府京都市北区金閣寺町１
075-461-0013
shokoku-ji.or.jp
Here are pictures!
NIJO CASTLE
We also visited Nijo Castle aka 二条城 (Nijō-jō) while in Kyoto. It was a very large area to cover and had some nice architecture to see and photograph. According to Wikipedia, this is one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
Hours: 8:45am – 5pm (last admission 4pm)
Closures: Closed Tues (Wed if Tues falls on national holiday) during Jan, July, Aug and Dec (Dec 26 – Jan 4).
Fee: 600yen
Transportation: Bus 9, 12, 50, 52, 61 or 67 to Nijo-jo-mae bus stop
(Read here for post about getting around tokyo by bus)
Here are pictures!
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We thought Nijo Castle was beautiful but if we could re-do it again, we’d probably skip Nijo Castle and visit Fushimi Inari Shrine instead or prioritize Fushimi Inari Shrine over Nijo Castle. We were there in winter, so the day got dark very quickly and ran out of time to go visit Fushimi Inari Shrine. A spot we’re saving for our next trip to Kyoto!
Have fun!
5 Comments
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{Japan} Kyoto’s Kinkakuji & Nijo Castle http://t.co/AROqkFb
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Wow – that's an amazingly huge area! Thanks for sharing!
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Nijo Castle is a flatland castle located in Kyoto, Japan. It's a huge palace contributing surface area of 275,000 square meters, of which 8000 square meters is occupied by buildings.
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I remember seeing pictures of your trip to Fushimi Inari! We'll definitely go there next time we're in Kyoto.
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Interesting, when I was planning my Kyoto day, I was trying to decide if I want to do Nijo castle. But I ended up spending most of the morning at Fushimi Inari instead. It made it easier to go to the next sights, I just went from South to North in Higashiyama.
