Yes, it's overrun by tourists - on my last visit a tour bus dumped a truckload of Japanese high school kids on their graduation trip - but there is a reason why it's so popular.

Go in the morning - the compound is on the west side of Kyoto and the pavilion faces east - so that the morning sun gives the Kinkaku the golden sparkle. The ...

The temple and landscape in front of it, together with the reflection in the water forms a very beautiful picture. There's quite a bit of shady place around. 300yen entrance fee isn't high.

Kinkakuji is probably Kyoto's most famous and certainly most photographed temple garden. The three-story Chinese Zen-influenced Golden Pavilion has delicately curving roofs and the walls and eaves of the second and third stories are covered with fine gold leaf. On a clear day the villa is reflected in the mirror pond which lies in front of the ...

I've been to Kyoto before and have seen Kinkakuji before. However, it made my list of must see this time around again. It's a beautiful pavilion. You can look at it for hours.

Honestly, I'm not a very good photographer but all my photos from Kinkakuji turned out like postcards! The temple itself if NOT what you want to see. We are all there for the golden pavilion which sits quitely in the middle of temple complex lake.
Don't even think of going there on a major Japanese holiday/ festifal sesaon which the ...

As with most of the Temples in Kyoto, the peace and serenity is intoxicating. We visited during the Fall foliage. It was magnificent!!! Looking forward to our next trip there. Probably in the Spring for Cherry Blossoms.

I thought the place was quite nice, but there were so many people it was alittle hard to enjoy. I'm sure some days are better than others to visit on though. Also through out the grounds there were little doodad shops which kinda detracted from the scene.

I had seen so many photos of Kinkakuji, that I was a little disappointed because it was much smaller than I had imagined. But still beautiful and the surrounding gardens were also nice for a stroll.

I completely enjoyed the peaceful calm surrounding Kinkakuji. Warm purple Iris surrounded the pond around the Golden Pavillion. I enjoyed a nice stroll along the peaceful walking trails around the pond.