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| The site of Kinkaku-ji was originally a villa called Kitayama-dai, belonging to a powerful statesman, Saionji Kintsune |
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| It is one of the most popular buildings in Japan, attracting a large number of visitors annually |
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| The still water offers many opportunities to delight in reflections |
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| On July 2, 1950, at 2:30 am, the pavilion was burned down by a 22-year-old novice monk, Hayashi Yoken, who then attempted suicide on the Daimon-ji hill behind the building |
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| Reflection |
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| Kinkaku-ji stands facing Kyoko-chi (mirror lake) pond |
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| Walking round the lake to the other side of the Temple |
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| Green |
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| The top two storeys of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf |
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| The gold employed was to mitigate and purify any pollution or negative thoughts and feelings towards death |
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| The bridge that leads to the Heian Shrine |
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| A giant torii gate marks the approach to the shrine |
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| The Heian Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The Shrine is ranked as a Beppyou Jinja (the top rank for Shrines) by the Association of Shinto Shrines |
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| The architecture of the main palace mirrors the style and features of the Kyoto Imperial Palace |
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| This lady, as you will see later, is rushing to prepare herself for a wedding |
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| The Shrine has a relatively short history, dating back just over a hundred years to 1895 |
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| Always lovely to see the Kimono. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" (ki "wear" and mono "thing") |
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| We suddenly heard the sound of music as a wedding procession appeared |
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| Everyone rushed over to take photographs |
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| Traditional Japanese instruments were being played |
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| This is the lady (on the right) that we saw earlier rushing to get ready |
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| And here is the bride dressed in a traditional wedding kimono, but no hat. The family must have high ranking in Kyoto society to be able to get married in this wonderful shrine |
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| A young, traditional couple at a wishing tree |
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| As we were walking away from the temple. Perhaps there will be another wedding soon! |
