Access

This Zen temple is located along Kyoto’s Eastern mountains. You can easily access the Pavillion by bus on #5, 17, or 100 from Kyoto Station. The ride takes about 35-40 minutes and costs 230 yen one way. The Silver Pavillion is located along the Philosopher’s Path, so combining this visit with that one is a great way to spend a relaxing morning.

Hours & Admission

Ginkakuji is open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm March to November and from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm from December to February. There are no closing days, so even during the holidays, you can still visit. Admission into the Pavilion is 500 yen.

History

The Silver Pavillion was built in 1482 for the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. It was made for him to spend his retirement in a serene and relaxing environment. The architectural designs of the temple are significant as they are one of the best representations of Higashiyama architecture of the Muromachi period. Unfortunately, the Shogun only had the chance to spend a few years here as he passed away in 1490. After his death, the villa was converted into a Zen temple for the people of Kyoto.

Why is it called the “Silver” Pavillion

Although it is called the “Silver” pavilion, surprisingly enough, there was never any silver anywhere to be found. Initially, the main building was supposed to be coated in silver, just as its sister building, the Golden Pavillion, was covered in gold. But the Shogun ran out of money during construction, and that great silver architectural icon was never to be. But the designers would not give up so easily. They painted the main building with a dark coat of paint so that at night the black paint would reflect the moonlight, giving the building the appearance of glowing silver in the light.

Architecture

The Silver Pavillion was built by combining two distinct architectural styles, seamlessly blending Japan’s art history. Each shingle on the roof is made from Japanese cypress trees. Bamboo nails secured the bark, as metal nails would rust and ruin the wood. Inside the Pavillion is a precious statue of “Kannon,” the Buddhist goddess of mercy, to whom the Shogun would pray each night.

Although this is not viewable to the public, you can imagine how important it would have been to be housed in such a grandiose place. Despite the pavilion’s relative simplicity, a profoundly artistic aesthetic can be found here. The Japanese have perfected the ideology of grace in restraint, and this is one of their best examples.

Entry

When I arrived, I was one of the first people to get there. Only a few other couples were huddled outside the gates, waiting to get inside. Before letting people in, one of the caretakers sprinkled water on the stones along the entry. This wasn’t to clean the stones but to spiritually cleanse them. Just as people wash their hands before entering a temple, they do the same for the grounds themselves.

The Silver Pavilion is the first thing you’ll see when you come inside, as it is the largest building on the property. A circular path will lead you through the grounds, and as you go, you will have the chance to see the pavilion from all different angles. Discovering something unique, something new or something amazing as you do so.

The Sand Garden

The bright white sands of the Sand Garden are among the first things you’ll see upon beginning your tour around the grounds. It is better known as the “Sea of Silver Sands.” In the centre of the meticulously manicured rows of sand is a grey cone called the “Moon Viewing Platform,” symbolizing Mount Fuji.

Since we were there so early in the morning, we saw the caretakers raking up the sand and placing it carefully in pristine rows. They would gently pick up fallen leaves, find rogue stones out of place, and delicately put them back where they belonged.

Hondo

Beside the sand garden lies the “Hondo” (the main hall). Although this building cannot be entered, you can still admire the exquisite wood carvings, dainty sliding doors, and paintings on the exterior walls. This building was where Yoshimasa studied the art of the tea ceremony. He was obsessed with creating the ideal setting and process for a tea ceremony and spent his retirement perfecting this performance. The tea room he designed would become the prototype for all future tea ceremony spaces. The doors are often left open a sliver, enough to peek inside to see some of the greatness he created.

Togudo

Beside the main hall is the Togudo. This was the Shogun’s study. The entire room was covered in tatami mats to create a comfortable zen-like environment for people to come and meditate.

Moss Garden

After the study, you head up the small hill which backs out on the grounds. This path will lead you to the moss garden. This garden was supposedly designed by the great Japanese landscape architect Sōami.

Inside the moss garden, you feel as if the world has disappeared. A little steam dribbles down the hill. Tiny bridges arch over the stream, and you can wander around, studying all the various plants which decorate the landscape.

The Reflective Pond

The reflective pond sits beside the moss garden. Manicured trees grow around it, reflecting into the glass-like water. The bright green colours of the trees are so vibrant it’s hard to believe it’s real.

I was the first one to venture into this area, and one of the caretakers was still walking around the paths, cleansing the pathways with holy water.

Lookout Point

From the back of the moss garden, a set of stairs will lead you up to the hill and towards a lookout point. At the top of the path, you can see over the tops of the buildings below and throughout Kyoto. The view is stunning, and even for people who might not be interested in the temple, this view will surely entice you to come and visit this magical place.

On the way down the path, you finish the circular walkway around the grounds and will once more pass by the Silver Pavillion. This is your last chance to look at it, this time a little more closely. See if you can spot any hidden details with which the architects have littered the exterior.

If you’ve never understood what ‘zen’ is, this is the place to find it. Zen is derived from the Chinese word ‘Chán,’ derived from the Indian practice of dhyāna or “meditation.” Zen is about self-control and finding insight into the nature of things. While it can be hard to make a quiet space in your hear when you’re travelling, try your best when you’re here to get in touch with that aspect of zen; sit in silence for a few minutes and reflect on the feeling of the world around you and be grateful for this amazing journey you are on.

What is your favourite place in the world to find Zen? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post Guide to Ginkaku-ji, The Silver Pavilion Kyoto first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Admission and Hours

The fee seemed steep at 1,000 yen ($10 USD), but we decided to plop down a few yen and were inside. 1,000 yen might look like a lot for a self-guided walk through an old garden, but it was some of the best money we spent on the trip! The gardens are open from 9 am to 5 pm.

Access

From Kyoto Station, take the Japan Railways (JR) Saiin Line to Saga Arashiyama Station. It is a fifteen-minute walk from there.

History

The Ōkōchi Sansō was once the estate of a famous Japanese actor Okochi Denjiro (1898-1962). He became a star at a young age. But instead of blowing the money on cars, drugs or clothes as young stars do now – he decided to build this monument to Japanese architecture. He built this villa and the gardens as an escape, and it was opened to the public after his death. Now, it offers the public the sense of escape it once offered him.

The buildings within the garden have been recorded as cultural properties by the national government. Most of them were constructed in the 1930s and 40s except for the Jibutsudō, an original structure from the Meiji Era that was moved from its original location to this site after Okochi Denjiro purchased it to save it from destruction.

Chūmon Gate

To set off on the walking tour of the gardens, one only has to follow the signs along the pathway. The thing you’ll pass by is the Chūmon. A Chūmon, or “intermediate gate”, is built to divide the outer and inner tea gardens. It is where the host would meet his guests as he invited them inside for tea. Stepping through the gate is like being welcomed home.

Daijōkaku

After passing through this gate, you come upon the main building in the compound, the Daijōkaku. This is where Denjiro Okochi’s bedroom used to be and where he would spend most of his free time when he wasn’t entertaining in the tea house. The house is known for being one of the best examples of traditional Japanese residential architecture. It combines many styles of Japanese architecture, such as shoin-zukuri and sukiya-zukuri.

Architecture

These architectural styles seem in direct opposition, one for large, opulent houses and the other, meaning literally, “a small space, simple and austere.” The shinden-zukuri was a style of architecture that flourished in the Heian period. These buildings faced south, were comprised of a single story and were raised off the ground with wooden pillars. There was no tatami flooring, and the roof was made with cypress shingles. The sukiya-zukuri architecture uses slender wood elements and the simplicity of ornamentation.

From the front of the Daijōkaku, you have a lovely view of the forest and the mountain to the south. But this view pales compared to the one you get at the top of the garden path. After taking in the view here for a bit, we headed back off on the trail.

Flora and Fauna

The upper portion of the trail shows off the garden’s flora and fauna. The garden was designed to highlight all the different seasons. So no matter when you visit, there is always something stunning. Unlike some gardens where they only have one season of truly spectacular foliage or flowers, this garden can be enjoyed throughout the year. In the spring, we have cherry blossoms, azaleas in the summer, Japanese maple trees for the fall, and pine trees for the winter months. Until this point in the trip, we hadn’t seen many autumn colours since it was fairly early. But here, trees were starting to change colour, and the orange and gold leaves glowed against the crystal blue sky.

The grounds themselves take up about 20,000 square meters, and the guest pathway only shows you a small portion of the villa. One can only imagine what treasures are hidden in this estate. You’ll discover Buddha statues, water features, sculptures hidden in Cyprus trees and rose bushes throughout the stone path.

Hozu River Gorge

At the top of the path, you’ll come to a lookout point where you can see the slopes of Mount Hiei, Mount Arashi and Mount Ogura and the Hozu River gorge. Wandering in the Bamboo forest, you can’t see out to the landscape around you, but from up here, we saw things we never even would have known were there!

Senkaku Senkoji

Hidden in the mountains, you can see a tiny temple poking its head out of the trees. This is the Senkaku Senkoji temple. Its iconic coloured flags make it stand out amongst the green trees.

There is a term in landscape architecture called “borrowed scenery,” which means: “to incorporate the background landscape into the design.” Walking through the winding cobblestones and twisting pathways, you can understand this design as the garden and the forest seem intertwined.

Jibutsudō

The Jibutsudō, with its Irimoya-style roof, is a Buddhist shrine which was moved from its original location to the villa in Arashiyama. Jibutsudōs are buildings from the Meiji Era that were made for rich noblemen to practice Buddism in the comfort of their own homes. A private place of worship.

Chashitsu

Along this path, you’ll also find the original Chashitsu. This small tea room was designed for intimate gatherings with typical tea room features like soft, sliding doors made of wooden lattice covered in translucent Japanese paper, tatami mats and subdued colours.

Moon Light Pavilion

In my opinion, the piece-de-resistance of the whole estate is the Moon Light Pavilion. This open-air building is at the highest point in the garden and gives you the best view of Kyoto, the forest and the mountains. All are framed under a simplistic Japanese gazebo. Sitting here, you’ll feel on top of the world. The landscape below looked like a rainbow from here, orange and yellow trees, green mountains and a bright blue sky.

Tea Room

After the moon pavilion, we headed back down the trail to finish our tour with a cup of tea. Near the exit is a new tea room built to serve tea to all the guests who still visit this site, keeping Okochi Denjiro’s tradition alive. Inside this building, you are seated and served a hot cup of matcha tea and a little sweet treat.

We took a seat towards the back of the room with a view of the bamboo forest behind us. Here, surrounded only by a few other visitors, we had a private viewing of the famous bamboo forests where hundreds of tourists were crammed inside only hours earlier.

The tea itself was a welcome treat. The warm liquid hit the spot on a sunny but chilly, windy day. The matcha is slightly bitter and is purposefully served with the sweet candy cake to balance out the flavour of the tea.

Tea Room Experience

We sat quietly in the tea room for as long as we felt welcome (we honestly could have been forever). I read my guidebook and planned our next destination; Dan changed his phone and relaxed in the silent chatter of the tea room. We listened to other families talking about their travels. Taking a moment to step back and appreciate where we were, what we had done and what adventures were around the corner.

We said “arigato” and bowed deeply to the servers as we left. On the way out, many people approached the gate and turned away once reading the admission price. We shook our heads and smiled at each other as we had just uncovered a secret only we would take away with us. Don’t make the same mistake those people did. Come inside and soak it all in.

Your secret garden awaits.

The post Discovering the Hidden Gem in Arashiyama: A Guide to Kyoto’s Okochi Sanso Garden first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Hibiya Park is a 16-hectare public park that was built in the late 19th century as Japan’s first Western-style park. In addition to the standard park features such as trees, playgrounds and benches, western sports facilities, like tennis courts were built alongside western flower gardens and rose bushes. We saw down on a large hill looking over a large portion of the park. In front of the benches, we sat on was a humongous bell. This was donated by the US in 1952 and is crowned with a Liberty Bell. 

After a short rest, we continued throughout the park and made our way down to the large fountain in front of an outdoor concert hall. We sat there watching children dip their toes in the cold fountain water and couples walking hand in hand around the dreamy landscape.

Across from the fountain where some of the parks largest rose gardens. Nothing was blooming while we were there, but the park does hold one of the best public collections of flora and fauna in the city. They even are known to have Kingfishers, rare ultramarine sparrow-like birds, perch on the bushes surrounding the park.

Throughout the park, there were dozens of small drink and food carts selling all sorts of different treats. Since it was so hot out we both treated ourselves to soda and some odd flavoured popcorn.

The popcorn we picked out was lemon tea flavoured and despite being such an odd combo for popcorn was surprisingly delicious.

Despite the park being dubbed as a “western style” park one had to admire how beautiful the Japanese architecture even something so simple as the washrooms were.

Drinks in had and complete with snacks, we sat and listened to a little musical group practice their routine, no doubt for an evening show later that day.

 Throughout the park there are also other smaller fountains and sculptures which are worth checking out. They pop up all over the place and even without plaques or information they are a treasure to spot as you walk about.

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