Visit Japan Web Ginkakuji
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Ginkakuji, a pleasure villa for the shoguns to relax from their administrative duties. After Ashikaga Yoshimasa’s death, he arranged for this property to become a Zen temple under the name Jishō-ji. The temple is now affiliated with the Shokoku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen and is considered one of Japan’s classic Zen temples, showcasing the wabi-sabi aesthetic of beauty in imperfection. Before its transformation into a temple, the shogun’s villa was the hub of Higashiyama culture, giving rise to the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, poetry, and Noh theater. Ginkakuji is one of the most renowned temples in Kyoto.
However, the Zen culture is not entirely reflected in this garden. It was designed as a retreat primarily for aesthetic enjoyment. Rather than a temple for monks or seated meditation.
Ginkakuji has a strong connection with its surroundings. The Journal of Asian Studies by Ichito Ishida and Delmer M. Brown mentioned it, “The southeast corner of the first floor has openings in the walls, since a pond is located on that corner of the building, beyond which the moon rises between the peaks of Higashiyama. And since a lake reflected light that suffices for reading, the room on the northeast corner has become a library. Therefore, the natural objects do not merely surround the building, twisting it out of shape but supply intrinsic motivation for the structural design.” The sand garden of Ginkakuji has become particularly well known. The carefully formed pile of sand, which symbolizes Mount Fuji, is an essential element in the garden.
