Yoshimitsu's Golden Retirement

Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built this lakeside villa to spend his retirement in style, reflecting the Muromachi era's high cultural peak.

The Pavilion Across the Pond

Walk past the gate to find the iconic three-story pavilion covered in gold leaf. Its reflection in Kyōko-chi, the Mirror Pond, is essential viewing.

A Rebuilt Phoenix

A novice monk burned the original structure in 1950. Note how the gold shines on this faithful 1955 reconstruction; the top two floors are gilded.

Sekka-tei and the Exit Path

Follow the path through the upper gardens, past Sekka-tei teahouse. Buy a final talisman, then rejoin the dense tourist crowds outside the gate.