Compared with the understated simplicity of Ginkaku-ji, the famous Kinkaku-ji is at the top of many people’s lists when visiting Kyoto, so we made a special trip there this time as well. When I saw the dazzling golden Shariden in person, I honestly was quite impressed. Although it was slightly smaller than I had imagined, its brilliant, exquisite appearance was completely different from Ginkaku-ji’s wabi-sabi charm—two entirely different aesthetic extremes. And if you look closely, there really is a gleaming golden phoenix spreading its wings on the roof.
We were very lucky that day to capture Kinkaku-ji’s clear, enchanting, and beautiful reflection on the pond, like a finely crafted work of art standing quietly by the water. After walking around for a while, our feet were getting a little sore, so I took the older members of our group to rest at the tea area inside the temple. In the slightly cool weather, we admired the cherry blossoms dotting the branches and the garden scenery while enjoying hot Japanese matcha and delicate sweets, which warmed us right up. That afternoon spent slowing down and quietly enjoying the traditional Japanese atmosphere was truly a very comfortable, wonderful, and precious memory.
