Description of the attraction
The Silver Pavilion Ginkaku-ji was built in 1483 by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. He was inspired by the example of his grandfather Ashikagi Yoshimitsu, who at one time erected Kinkaku-ji - a pavilion, two floors of which are sheathed with sheets of gold leaf.
Unlike the Golden Pavilion, Ginkaku-ji's plan was never completed - it was not supposed to be sheathed with silver sheets - due to lack of funds or for other reasons, it is not known for sure. And even if there is no silver here, visitors note that even in the daytime the walls of the pavilion seem to emit a light silvery glow.
The Silver Pavilion, like the Golden Pavilion, became a Buddhist temple after the death of its owner. Today it is housed in the Shokoku-ji Temple Complex.
The Silver Pavilion is a temple to the goddess Kannon, although it was originally intended for the shogun's seclusion. The building was part of his residence, called Higashiyama Palace or Eastern Mountain Palace. In 1485, Yoshimasa himself decided to become a Buddhist monk, and after his death, like his grandfather, he bequeathed to turn his estate into a monastery.
Among the monastery buildings, the building of the pavilion was considered the most beautiful. The first floor was called the Hall of the Empty Heart and was built in the spirit of the samurai dwelling of that era. The second floor was called the Pavilion of Mercy and its interior was reminiscent of a Buddhist temple, in its altar there was a statue of a goddess.
A notable feature of Ginkaku-ji is also a sandy garden, which is considered an example of 16th century sand and garden art. It is a lake made of silvery sand and pebbles.
The architecture of the Silver Pavilion marked a new stage in the development of Japanese art. The influence of this style, which is called shoin-zukuri, is still present. So, for the first time, sliding external and internal partitions were used. When the outer partitions were removed, the house became part of the garden that surrounded the pavilion. For the first time, a tokonoma appeared here - the aesthetic center of the house, which housed a composition of plants corresponding to the seasons, a painting, a shelf for books and writing utensils.
