Kinkaku-ji
A Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose reliquary, the Golden Pavilion, has its top two floors coated in gold leaf. It sits on the edge of a still pond that doubles it in reflection, and the present building was rebuilt in 1955.
- Where
- Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
- Grade
- UNESCO heritage
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 8 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 35.0395, 135.7285
Get the Kinkaku-ji stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Kinkaku-ji. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Kyoto volume with your photos and a note.
Near Kinkaku-ji
Ryōan-ji 1.1 km
A Zen temple in north-west Kyoto with the most famous rock garden in Japan: fifteen stones set in raked white gravel, placed so that one is always hidden from any point on the veranda. It is a classic of kare-sansui, the dry landscape garden.
Kamigamo Shrine 3.2 km
One of Kyoto's two Kamo shrines, on the banks of the Kamo River in the north of the city, first founded in 678. Two cone-shaped mounds of white sand stand before its halls, and it is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
Nijō Castle 3.3 km
A flatland castle in central Kyoto built for Tokugawa Ieyasu, with two rings of walls and moats, the Ninomaru Palace and several gardens. The palace corridors have nightingale floors that chirp underfoot, a warning against intruders.
Kyoto Imperial Palace 3.5 km
The palace of the emperors of Japan from 1331 until 1869, when the court moved to Tokyo. It stands within the wide Kyoto Gyoen park in Kamigyō, and its grounds are open to the public, with tours of the buildings.
Shimogamo Shrine 4.1 km
One of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, believed to date from the 6th century, before Kyoto became the capital. It is approached through Tadasu no Mori, an old forest, and is the elder of the city's two Kamo shrines.
Nishiki Market 5.1 km
A narrow covered market street in downtown Kyoto, one block north of Shijō Street, crowded with small stalls and shops. It is where the city buys its pickles, tofu, fish and sweets, and is often called Kyoto's kitchen.
Ponto-chō 5.2 km
A narrow lantern-lit alley of teahouses and restaurants running beside the Kamo River, and one of Kyoto's geisha districts. In summer the restaurants on its river side build wooden platforms out over the water for dining.
Heian Shrine 5.5 km
A Shinto shrine in Sakyō, built in 1895 for the 1,100th anniversary of Kyoto's founding. Its main buildings are a scaled-down copy of the old imperial palace, and a giant red torii stands over the road in front.
More UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto
Questions
Where is Kinkaku-ji?
Kinkaku-ji is in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Ryōan-ji (1.1 km), Kamigamo Shrine (3.2 km), Nijō Castle (3.3 km).
How do I get the Kinkaku-ji stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Kinkaku-ji and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Kyoto volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Kinkaku-ji before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Kyoto volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.