At Kinkaku-Ji, the Golden Temple

A gold temple and a stone garden

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April 9th 2016
Our last day in Kyoto, the historical capital of classical Japan where we have seen so many beautiful gardens and temples but will have to leave hundreds more unseen. We finished with a bang today, with one of the most famous temples and one of the best known gardens. Rokuon-ji is better known as Kinkaku-Ji, the Golden Temple, because of the gold leaf that adorns its exterior. The gleaming buil ... read more

Asia » Japan » Kyoto » Kyoto

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In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more