What other travelers are saying about Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
We visited this temple during our morning walk through the philosopher’s path and it was marvellous, incredibly peaceful and nice, the vest temple we visited in this path. It has a bit of bamboo forest, gardens, temple.. everything taken care to the smallest detail. It’s touching to see how they care about everything.
It is definitely worth a visit and great to walk through the garden to soak in the sights. As it is a quite popular destination you may find that visiting quite early or quite late give you a more relaxed experience. An added benefit can be the different lighting, especially just before closing for the day. The walking path is fenced and clearly marked, so you can just follow the full path or choose a shorter path if so desired. The philosophers path is nearby, which can be combined into a single trip.
My wife and I thought this temple area to be among the most beautiful we had seen. The silver temple, though not as spectacular or as photographed as much as the golden temple, is still beautiful. You have a great overview of the city along the path. The sand gardens are stunning.
This was our first stop in Kyoto and man did it leave a good first impression. It was so beautiful and peaceful. We arrived right when it opened so crowds were at a minimum. You will need cash to get in (as with almost any shrine and temple in Kyoto) so get that before.
The first temple we visited for this trip. A short walk (about 300 meters) from the road, we reached the quiet temple with only a couple building, a well and a small hill behind. However, the scene is memorable. We loved walking on a trail with fresh air and cool temperature. The entrance fee is 500 yen.
