Golden
Pavilion is a popular name for one of the main buildings of the Rokuon-ji Temple. In the 1220’s it was the
comfortable villa of Kintsune Saionji. The elegant, harmonious building
consists of three types of architecture. The 1st floor is Shinden-zukuri, the
palace style. It is named Ho-sui-in. The 2nd floor is Buke-zukuri, the style of
the samurai house and is called Cho-on-do. The 3rd floor is Karayo style or Zen
temple style. It is called Kukkyo-cho. Both the 2nd and 3rd floors are
covered with gold-leaf on Japanese lacquer. The roof, upon which the Chinese
phoenix settles, is thatched with shingles.
Nearby is the Kyoko-chi or Mirror
pond. The pond contains many large and small islands. Climbing a few steps, you
stand at the edge of another small pond, An-min-taku. The small stone pagoda on
the island is called Hakuja-no-tsuka or the mound in memory of the white snake.
There is a classic tea house called Sekka-tei. In Sekka-tei there is a
celebrated pillar made of a nandin. On the way to the exit of the temple, one
will find a small Fudodo shrine where the stone Fudo-myoc (Acara) is enshrined
as a guardian.
Nanzen-ji Temple
This temple has a distinctive
two-story entrance gate and aqueduct. Walking around the temple complex and
along the aqueduct is free, but there are three regions of Nanzenji that one
can pay to enter. The Sanmon - the two-story main gate to Nanzenji
Temple charges offers pleasant
views over the surrounding area of the city. The Nanzen-in Zen
Temple is
a small, but relaxing temple and moss garden behind the aqueduct, dating back to
the 13th century. It is worth it if one has a particular interest in Zen Buddhism.
The Hojo or the abbot's quarters is a more interesting
building, with a small raked gravel garden and some impressive paintings on the
sliding doors of the buildings.