Yoshimitu, the Japanese Shogun who abdicated the throne, created in 1397 this breath-taking site as his retirement place. According to his will, this villa was converted into a Zen temple after his death. Famous Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion) building consists of three types of architecture: the first floor is in palace style, 2nd in the style of samurai house and the 3rd in Zen temple style. Both the second and third floors are covered with gold leaf on Japanese lacquer. Golden Pavilion survived wars, but a monk burned it down in an arson attack in 1950. Today's exact copy is told to be brighter than the original.
