It’s a must-see in Kyoto and we understand why! The Golden Pavilion deserves its name. You absolutely have to go there on a sunny day: it literally sparkles. We went there at the end of the day in August and the crowds were very bearable. It is quite out of the way so access is a little more complicated. However, there are enough buses to not wait long on the way back.

Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) of Kyoto is a Zen Temple. The top floor of the pavilion covered in real gold leaf glistens in the sunlight. You cannot actually go into the pavilion. The complex has a beautiful pond making the area wonderful for relaxation, meditation, and to reflect on the beauty of nature. Couple of areas are not really for throwing coins to make wishes. Groundkeeper relented and placed some vessels out because western visitors keep throwing coins.

My teeny-tiny granddaughter, a 4th grade elementary school student, and a Euro guy from the Netherlands came to visit me. We went to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto for the first time in a while, then Kinkakuji Temple, and went sightseeing in Kyoto. After that, we had tea at Takamine Harvest and enjoyed a full French meal at a Bordeaux restaurant.

No matter when you visit Kinkakuji, it always looks magnificent. I visited 5 times, and it rained heavily twice. I hope that next time I visit Kinkakuji, I can get a glimpse of the majestic Kinkakuji standing in the snow. After all, climate change is the hardest thing to control!

What a magic place! A real must-see in Kyoto. Accessible by bus from many parts of the city. Tickets are cash only, there is a nearby Lawson store on the main street which has an ATM. The temple is more beautiful than any picture of it I had seen.

Too bad the day of the visit was extremely rainy but the temple was truly beautiful. Entirely gilded, made like all the construction in Kyoto wood with joints and without nails. Despite the climate full of people

Of course as one of the best known sites in Kyoto it was quite crowded. However, given the lake surrounding you can still get some amazing views and pictures. Quite impressive and worth a visit.

Drove with the company Japanspecialisten to the Golden Temple. There was snow on the roofs and it started snowing while we were there. It was absolutely impressive to see the golden temple in the beautiful surroundings. With water, stones and beautiful trees in bonsei style. Took a lot of pictures. Regards. An & Nine

My wife walked from Daitoku-Ji temple to here and then to the Ryoanji Temple. The temples were about 20 minutes apart. The Golden Pavillion and its surroundings were beautiful. The highlight is the view of the Pavillion and the pond. You cannot go in to the Pavillion, you just walk around it. We spent about 30 minutes here and enjoyed it.

Shrines and temples are in abundance in Japan, especially Kyoto, but theres a reason this one is so well known. Following a one way path that's large enough to handle crowds, but small enough to still feel like a calm walk through a garden, is a difficult feeling to capture but it was done well. The building itself makes for some excellent photos with the surrounding plant life and pond. Cheap admission and easily accessible from different Kyoto city buses doesnt hurt either. Take your time, enjoy the wall through the garden, and visit the many food vendors at the end of the path.