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  ‹βŠtŽ›  Ginkaku-ji temple  
   
 
Jisho-ji Temple is better known as Ginkaku-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion), a temple belonging to the Buddhist Shokoku School of the Rinzai Zen sect.
Originally designed as a retirement villa for the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490) in the Muromachi Period (1338 - 1573), Ginkaku-ji Temple was modeled on its sister temple Kinkaku-ji Temple (the Golden Pavilion). Yet Ginkaku-ji Temple was never plated with silver, and the main temple building remains an unpainted brown.
The garden of Ginkaku-ji is one of the representitive garden that has a style of Japanese garden with a pond (Kinshochi pond) in the center during the Muromachi Period.
Especially, this garden has unique sand monuments, Ginshadan and Kogetudai.
This garden is designated a special historic site and a place of special scenic beauty.
 
 
 
 Ginkaku-ji-gaki
 The side wall of the path from So-mon gate to Chu-mon gate is high hedge.
They contribute to guard from external enemies.
   
 
 Ginkaku-ji-gaki (enlarged)
 There is a difference between the right and the left.
Forming tree of the hedge is camellia.
   
 
 Middle gate
 Built in Edo period.
   
 
Kori and front garden
 Stone garden and pine forms splendid scenery.
   
 
Karamon gate and rock garden
 The renear shape of sand is harmonized with the curve of pines.
   
 
Rock garden
 Stones and trees in the sand are like scenery of islands in the ocean.
   
 
 Karamon gate
 The arrangement of garden, pine and Shakkei is impressive.
   
 
Ginsha-dan viewed from Kato-mado of Karamon gate
 Katomado window is in the center of Karamaon gate.
Ginshadan is seen through this window.
This is very fashionable style.
   
 
Ginkaku pavilion
 Ginkaku is registered as a World Heritage Site.
Kinkaku is covered with golden leaf. But Ginkaku has not covered with silver leaf since its foundation.
It is called Kannnon-do when it was founded.
Ginkaku is named at Edo period.
Ginkaku is wooden construction of two stories.
The lower floor is dwelling style.
The upper floor is Zenshyu-yo stye. Inner and outer of the floor is painted with Urushi lacquer. The wall has Katou-mado window.
Kannnon Bosatsu seated statue is laid on this floor.
   
 
 Ginkaku and pond
 Chisen-kaiyushiki-teien style (a stroke-style garden around a big pond)
The garden of Ginkaku-ji is one of the representitive garden that has Chisen-kaiyushiki-teien style during the Muromachi Period.
This garden is designated a special historic site and a place of special scenic beauty.
Bridges and stones are laid out artfully.
Bunkai-bashi bridge in the pond is made of two bonded stones.
   
 
 
 
Ginkaku and garden (panorama)
Kinkyochi pond and Sennin-su isl. can be seen with mount Higashi-yama as the borrowing landscape.
If seeing the pond and garden from Ginkaku, there would be more exciting view.
Unfotunately, we can't enter Ginkaku and see the excellent view.
 
 
 
 Kinshochi pond and Bunkai-kyo bridge
 Compared with other gardens, the green of the trees are very rich.
The shapes of trees look natural not artificial.
   
 
 Kogetsu-dai
 The height is 180cm.
Kogetsu-dai is designed for the purpose of enjoying moon light reflection at night.
It is said that Kogetsu-dai symbolizes mount Fuji.
   
 
 Kogetsu-dai and Ginsha-dan
 Kogetsu-dai and Ginsha-dan were created in Edo period (200years after temple's foundation).
   
 
 Ginkaku and Kogetsu-dai
 The contrast between traditional Ginkaku and modern Kogetsu-dai is very interesting.
   
 
 
 Ginkaku and Kogetsu-dai (panorama)
 If it is possible, we want to look at Kogetsu-dai and Ginkaku on a moonlight night.
   
 
 
 Ginsha-dan
 The heightis 65cm.
The design of surface is the repeated pattern of flat belt and belt with some lines.
   
 
 Ginsha-dan, Kogetsu-dai, Ginkaku
 The center pine has a big presence in this scene.
   
 
 Togudo
 Ginkaku and Togudo date from the time of the temple's foundation.
They are both designated national treasure.
Togudo is Shogun Yshimasa's jibutsu-do(private Buddha statue hall). It is said the he dwelled in this house.
There is four and a half tatami room shoin called Dojinsai at the north east corner.
It is a Japanese style study room of Shogun Yshimasa.
This is the oldest shoin in Japan.
It is said that this house is the origin of shoin-zukuri style architecture.
   
 
 Togudo and garden
 Togudo is surrounded by engawa (wooden veranda).
The emotion to sit there and to see the garden calmly occurs in our mind.
This pond is also Kinkyochi pond.
Kinkyochi pond has a complicated shape.
   
 
 
 Togudo and Kinshochi pond (panorama)
The view of garden from Togudo wold not bore our mind. 
   
 
Geisen-kyo bridge and Ginkaku
 The variety of pine branch is rich.
   
 
 Geisen-kyo bridge
 Zoomed Geisen-kyo bridge
   
 
 Geisen-kyo bridge
 Geisen-kyo bridge beyond Ginsha-dan
   
 
 
 
 Ginkaku and Kinshochi pond (panorama)
Ginkaku is in and out of sight at every some steps.
Ginkaku shows different impression oweing to surround trees and stones.
 
   
 
 Ryuhai-kyo bridge
It seems like dobashi but has double structure.
Other bridges are forbidden to pass, so they don't have such structure.
   
 
Side view of Ryuhai-kyo bridge
Ryuhai-kyo bridge in the red frame.
In order to protect original stone bridge, dobashi was built recently.



Enlarged red frame. It shows double structure obviously.
   
 
 Sennin-su isl. and Ginakaku
 Ginkaku among the rich trees is fascinating.
   
 
 
 Kinshochi pond and Ginakaku (movie)
The viewpoint is moving from Ginsha-dan Kogetsu-dai to Ginkaku. 
   
 
 Sengetsu-sen spring
 Rich water springs at the foot of mount Higashi-yama. The stream forms the fall here.
   
 
 Sengetsu-sen (movie)
It is said that this fall is Ryu-mon-baku.
Ryu-mon-baku means that a carp climbs the fall and transform into a dragon.
Ryu-mon-baku is one of the important themes of Japanese garden creation during Kamakura and Muromachi Period. 
   
 
 Togudo and Kinshochi pond
 This photo contains the important factors of Japanese garden such as, house, tree, stone, bridge, pond, island and borrowing landscape.
All factors are appropriately harmonized, so this is one of typical wonderful scenery of Japanese garden.
   
 
 Togudo
 View from the foot of the mountain
   
 
 Hakutsuru isl. and Senkei-kyo bridge
 Hakutsuru isl. and Senkei-kyo bridge
High stone and low stone are located at the both end of Senkei-kyo bridge.
Such stones are also laid other bridges.
   
 
 Senkei-kyo bridge
 The bridge and stone arrangement are associated with natural scenery.
   
 
 Togudo
 The large flat stone in the pond is Zazen-ishi.
   
 
 
 Togudo and mountain path (panorama)
 Path on foot of mountain, house and pond derive splendid atmosphere.
   
 
 
 from Togudo to Kinshochi pond (movie)
The fascinating sight of mountain foot can be seen. 
   
 Togudo
 Looking back Togudo from the path of mountain foot.
   
 
 Moss
 Moss grows well in the mountain because of its high humidity.
   
 
Mossed hill
 The hill seems entirely covered with moss.
   
 
 Bamboo forest and bamboo fence
 In the course of mountain path, bamboo fence and bamboo forest appear.
   
 
 Bamboo fence and moss
 Stone arrangement is seen between the bamboo fence.
At the time of foundation, the garden was two stage constitution.
   
 
 Ocha-no-i well
 Ocha-no-i well was designed in imitation of Ryoen-sui in Saiho-ji(Koke-dera).
It is said that this Ishigumi is the origin of Tsukubai(stone wash basin


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Bulltin board
Explanation of Ocha-no-i well and Soso-tei ruin
   
 
 Soso-tei ruin and rock work
 This Ishigumi is the upper stage of Ginkaku-ji garden.
It was discovered in Showa 6 (1931) and mined.
They say that the Ishigumi was produced in imitation of Koinzan-karetaki-ishigumi in Saiho-ji(Koke-dera).
Once Soso-tei stood here.
   
 
 Bird's-eye view on Ginkaku
 On the steep mountain path, Ginkaku can be seen from a birds-eye view suddenly.
   
 
 Ginkaku and Ginsha-dan
 Ginsha-dan is also in the sight.
   
 
 
Entire sight of Ginkaku-ji
 Distant town scape is seen from high place, but modern buildings cannot be seen from the precincts.
It is becauset the trees shut the townscape.
Ginkaku-ji is a serene space thanks to cutting off the urban noise such as car noise.
   
 
 Ginkaku and front pond
 This view is one of the best shot of Ginkaku.
The balance of pond, stone and house is exquisite.
There is no modern building in this scenery.
Owing to buddhist priests' strong assertion, Kyoto city has a strict regulation of architecture.
Over 15m height building is not permitted to build in the most area of Kyoto city.
Maximum height 30m is permitted in narrow districts.
   
 
 
 Front pond (panorama)
 Detail Ishigumi can be seen around the pond.
Bunkai-kyo bridge is on the right.
   
 
 
 Kinshochi pond and Ginkaku (movie)
 
   
Sennin-su isl. and Ginkaku 
 Just front of Ginkaku
   
 
 The upper floor of Ginkaku (south face)
 The shape of Katomado is easy to look at.
The upper floor was painted by Kurourushi(black lacuer) at the time of the foundation.
   
 
 Ginkaku (north and west face)
 There is no window on the north wall of upper floor.
   
 
 
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