Kinkaku-ji

The Zen Buddhist temple at Rokuon-ji in Kyoto, Japan, is known as Kinkaku-ji or the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf and it shimmers in the mirror pond below. Zen typology abounds, with every minute detail of the building and garden designed for aesthetic effect. Whilst the complex dates back to 1397, the current pavilion was rebuilt in 1955 after an arson attack. It is, however, a supremely peaceful and beautiful place.