This is the famous Kinkaku-ji “Temple of the Golden Pavilion” in Kyoto, Japan. The temple is covered in pure gold leaf. It was originally built in 1397. The present structure was constructed in 1955, after the previous one was burned down by a deranged monk.
Black Pine Pinus thunbergii specimens are kept carefully trimmed in a seemingly casual way. This artful arrangement of pines, rock and sand, highlights the temple in a very harmonic fashion |