Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)

Ginkaku-ji, formally Higashiyama Jisho-ji, was created by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as a retirement villa at the foot of the eastern hills. Work on the Kannon-den, the main pavilion, began in 1482, and Yoshimasa modelled it on the Golden Pavilion built by his grandfather Yoshimitsu. He became a Zen monk in 1485, and after his death in 1490 the estate was converted into a temple. Like Kinkaku-ji it is an affiliate of Shokoku-ji, and it forms part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

Despite its name, the Silver Pavilion has never been covered in silver. The nickname only appeared in the Edo period, and the plain dark wood of the two-storey Kannon-den is part of its appeal, a contrast with the gold of its northern counterpart. Yoshimasa's time here is associated with the Higashiyama culture that shaped the tea ceremony, flower arranging and ink painting, and the Togu-do hall, dated 1486, is a National Treasure.

The garden is the main attraction. Beside the pavilion lie two carefully raked sand forms: the Ginshadan, a flat bed of sand ridged in waves, and the Kogetsudai, a tall flat-topped cone often said to evoke Mount Fuji. Beyond them, a circular path leads through a pond garden and up a hillside covered in many varieties of moss, reaching a viewpoint that looks back over the temple roofs towards the city. The walk takes around 45 minutes at an unhurried pace.

The temple is open daily, with longer hours from March to November and a slightly shorter day in winter, so check the official website before setting out. Early morning visits avoid most of the groups that arrive later in the day. The hillside section involves steps and uneven paths, so it is less suited to visitors with limited mobility, although the lower garden around the pavilion is fairly level. Paths are narrow, and visitors are asked to stay on them to protect the moss.

Ginkaku-ji marks the northern end of the Philosopher's Path, the canal-side walk that runs south towards Nanzen-ji, so it is easy to combine the two in a morning. City buses stop at Ginkakuji-michi and Ginkakuji-mae, from which a short street of shops and snack stalls leads up to the gate. Omen, a well-known udon restaurant, is a few minutes' walk away for lunch.