From Fushimi Inaria Taisha shrine, we headed to another iconic temple of Kyoto - Ginkaku-ji or the Temple of Shining Mercy, which is located near the Philosopher's Walk, a dreamy tree-lined avenue, that we had visited yesterday. The temple is at the base of Kyoto’s eastern hill range, Higashiyama,
Our train approaches at the Fushimi Inari station...
The subway compartment...
It's outdoors time for Kyoto residents...
They are all having fun by the banks of the Kamo River...
Walking towards Ginkaku-ji...
Passing by the Philosopher's Walk again...
It is a day of sweltering heat today, and so we treated ourselves to a cool treat of a peach and a cherry ice cream...
The famous Ginshadan - sand and gravel layout...
The Kogetsudai which is a 2 metre high sand cone...
It is said that, during full moon nights, seen from the top floor of the Ginkaku-ji, the Kogetsudai looks like the reflection of the moon on a quiet pond…
Kogetsudai literally means “moon viewing platform". Some believe that it was made as a Zen representation of Mount Fuji…
But the Kogetsudai does look amazing...
The Ginshadan conveys an inexplicable serenity...
Oops... this was particularly terse - I didn't expect this in Japan...
A chance at good luck for JPY 300?
The Togu-do - the Hall of the Eastern Quest, is famed for its study room and is considered to be the prototype of Shoin architecture...
The serene pond...
A view of Togu-do, the pond and the Kogetsudai...
Climbing up the adjoining hill to have a clearer view of the Kannon-den, the main structure of the temple...
The moss covered tree trunks along the slope of the hill had quite a magical feel...
A view of Togu-do and Kyoto city beyond that...
And we reach the vantage point for a good view of the Kannon-den...
The structures here were originally built in 1482, by a military ruler or a shogun - Ashikaga Yoshimasa as a retirement villa. After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, Ginkaku-ji was converted to a zen temple.
The two-storied Kannon-den gives the name, Ginkaku, or the silver pavilion, to the temple. But unlike the Kinkakuji, the temple has no silver. Some believe the name came about because of Yoshimasa's initial plans to cover Kannon-den's exterior in silver foil.
But there are competing theories. Some claim the structure was so named because of its silvery appearance when moonlight reflects from the black lacquered exterior.
Descending...
The roof of Kannon-den...
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