Kinkaku-ji Temple

When Is the Best Time

The best time to visit Kinkaku-ji is in the early morning during mid-week. Expect heavy crowds year-round. Open 9 AM – 5 PM each day, year-round.

To avoid the crowds:

  • Arrive early. A couple of minutes before the gates open at 9:00 AM
  • You could arrive late around 4 PM and stay till 5 PM. Then you have the last couple of minutes almost for yourself to take great photos.
  • Avoid weekends, go mid-week.

Kinkaku-ji is probably Kyoto’s most famous temple attracting a huge number of visitors every year. It’s a Zen Buddhist temple that was built at the end of the 14th century. The whole scene is very impressive. Especially, the reflection of the golden pavilion and the trees on the water is fascinating.

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