Silver Pavilion

Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, was built in 1482 as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Despite its name, the pavilion was never coated in silver, a mystery scholars still debate: either the plan was abandoned, or the nickname simply attached itself over time. The dry sand garden called Ginshadan is one of the most discussed spaces in Japanese garden design, its precisely raked cone said to represent Mt. Fuji and to reflect moonlight into the pavilion. A moss-lined path climbs from the garden to a hillside viewpoint overlooking the complex and the Higashiyama mountains behind. The approach along the Philosopher's Path, a canal-side walk lined with cherry trees and small cafes, makes the arrival at Ginkaku-ji feel earned rather than rushed.