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Ginkaku-ji: Kyoto's Silver Pavilion

© Kirk Johnson

Ginkaku-ji was created by the Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimasa (1436-1490). Yoshimasa was the grandson of the third Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu (1358-1408). Yoshimasa's father, the shogun Yoshinori, was assassinated by a vassal who was afraid that the shogun was going to take away his lands. Yoshimitsu may have retired from office as early as 1394. In 1397 he began the creation of his place of retirement, his garden was inspired by the paradise garden at Saiho-ji (begun in 1339). The garden at Saiho-ji is dominated by a large pond which was known as the "Golden Pond", along shores of this pond were a loose scattering of pavilions. The main pavilion was on the pond's west shore, it was known as the Ruriden, this pavilion was the model for the main pavilion in Yoshimitsu's garden. The exterior of Yoshimitsu's pavilion was gilded, because of this it was known as the Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion). The original Golden Pavilion was burned down in 1950, the present pavilion is a reconstruction.

Yoshimasa became Shogun when he was in 1449 when he was 14 years old . He was a talented artist and was a patron of the arts, he never had much of a taste for politics, he preferred the company of artists and priests. Yoshimasa did more than just encourage artists and intellectuals, he had a deep appreciation and enthusiasm for Zen esthetics. Japanese culture is still strongly influenced by Zen and this is partially the result of Yoshimasa's taste. In 1464, when he was 29, Yoshimasa announced his intention to retire and relinquish the shogunate to his brother. Yoshimasa's wife, Tomi-ko opposed this because she wanted her son to be shogun. This was the pretext for the Onin civil war which lasted from 1467 to 1477.

The retirement villa which Yoshimasa created for himself was begun before the civil war, but construction ceased during the war. Construction was resumed in 1482, and the main pavilion probably dates from around 1482. Like his grandfather's retirement villa, both the garden and the main pavilion of Yoshimasa's retirement villa were inspired by the garden at Saiho-ji. The roof of the main pavilion in Yoshimasa's garden was intended to be covered with silver leaf, this was never carried out, but the pavilion has always been known as the Kinkaku or Silver Pavilion. It sits on the west shore of the pond, and was intended to be used as a meditation hall. It is called a Kannon-den because it houses a statue of Kannon - the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

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