Kinkaku-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan.

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Kinkaku-ji ( lit. "Temple of the Golden Pavilion"), officially named Rokuon-ji (lit. "Deer Garden Temple"), is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design. The Muromachi period is considered to be a classical age of Japanese garden design. The correlation between buildings and its settings were greatly emphasized during this period. It was a way to integrate the structure within the landscape in an artistic way. The garden designs were characterized by a reduction in scale, a more central purpose, and a distinct setting.[5] A minimalistic approach was brought to the garden design, by recreating larger landscapes in a smaller scale around a structure. It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, and it is one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage Site. It is also one of the most popular buildings in Japan, attracting a large number of visitors annually.

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Size: 3696px × 2448px
Location: Kyoto Japan
Photo credit: © Brandon Fike / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
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Keywords: architecture, art, asia, buddhist, garden, gold, golden, japan, japanese, kinkaku-ji, kyoto, landmark, muromachi, nature, pavilion, temple, travel, trees, zen