The Golden Pavilion or “Kinkaku-ji” (金閣寺) has become a pilgrimage for visitors to Kyoto, but is it really worth your time?
As thousands of tourists make their way to the famous Golden Pavilion every day, some may wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, Kyoto is full of temples and shrines, many of which you can see for free!
Despite the countless foreign tourists that visit the Kinkaku-ji every year, there are countless others who wouldn’t give it the time of day. Having been on the fence of this divide for over a decade, I finally decided to make the journey to the Golden Pavilion.
Here are my thoughts.
Getting There – Tickets & Brochures
There are many ways to get to the Golden Pavilion. You can catch a train to Kita-Oji station, take the bus from JR Kyoto station, or you can cycle there from anywhere in Kyoto in under an hour.
Personally, I opted for none of these and simply chose to walk the distance. In all honesty, getting there was one of the most exciting parts of my trip to the Golden Pavilion.
I walked through some of the most scenic routes in Kyoto such as the Geisha District of Gion, the Philosopher’s Path, and Nanzen-ji Temple.
Upon arrival, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the ticket prices didn’t catch me off guard, charging 500 yen per adult ticket. The included brochure didn’t help my dissatisfaction either, though I did learn a thing or two about the Kinkaku-ji that I likely wouldn’t have Googled.
The Money Shot! (Kind of…)
I’m not sure what it was exactly, but my first glance at the Golden Pavilion was surprisingly surreal. Even though it’s nothing more than a gold-colored temple, it was one of those things that are marketed so excessively on billboards and postcards that you never really fathom seeing the real thing.
The number of people flocking in shoulder-to-shoulder was like sheep in a paddock as everyone would fight for a spot at the front for an undisturbed photo with the Kinkaku-ji backdrop.
While the majority of photo-takers were blinded by the initial angle of the temple upon entering the site, I snuck around the back for a sneaky selfie in a (somewhat) quiet space.
At first glance, my photo looks like the real deal, and you wouldn’t be able to tell it’s the backside of the temple.
Regardless, I’d argue that this is the best shot of the temple because you get a much closer view and a unique angle that brings something new to the postcard photos of the Kinkaku-ji your family and friends would have already seen.
The World’s Best Matcha Soft Serve?
Okay, you don’t actually need a ticket for this, but a huge highlight for me was the premium matcha soft serve shops outside the Golden Pavilion’s entry gates.
Admittedly, this ice cream cost a whopping 650 yen, which was even more than the entry ticket for Kinkaku-ji. However, topped with fine matcha green tea powder and little grains of edible gold, it was easily one of the best Japanese desserts I’d ever had!
Now, this particular brand of premium matcha soft serve isn’t exclusive to the Golden Pavilion by any means, but the fact that I’d never seen or tried it til I was there is telling.
I’m sure no one would put this as a reason to come to Kinkaku-ji, but for me, it most certainly is.
Souvenir Shops (Not For Me!)
I’ve never been a fan of souvenir shops, and if you think that the Golden Pavilion one would change that fact, then you’re wrong. That being said, there was plenty of unique merchandise that you could only buy here, so I suppose it has an appeal for those that are interested.
Being the observer that I am, it was still refreshing to see the excitement and happy vibes out here, especially with everyone feeling the buzz of having taken their money shots with the Kinkaku-ji backdrop.
It was especially amusing to see a few hustlers offering to “read your future,” and even more amusing to see people agree to it. Seriously, it was gold (Get it? No? Okay). Not to bash those who do it out of joy, but I certainly don’t believe my future can be told by a random Japanese dude looking to make a buck at a popular tourist site.
So, Is The Golden Pavilion worth visiting?
My short answer is yes, but it depends on what you make of it.
If there’s anything I learned from my trip to the Golden Pavilion, it’s that both arguments of whether it’s a worthwhile experience or not are valid.
On the one hand, paying 500 yen to see a temple that more or less looks like those that can be seen for free is a tad ludicrous. On the other hand, there aren’t any temples that are made with real gold and that shine as brightly as the kinkaku-ji.
For me, getting my selfie with the Golden Pavilion was not quite worth the money, especially given I only got the backside view. However, I did enjoy the vibe of visitors from all parts of the world gathering here to get their photos with the temple.
I also learned a thing or two about the Golden Pavilion through the brochure, so that was pretty neat. Oh yeah, the soft serve was a 10/10 too.
Piecing it all together, I’d say you have yourself a pretty worthwhile trip to the Golden Pavilion!
Would I visit it again? Probably not.
Did I enjoy the trip? A lot more than I thought I would!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!