The precincts of the present Kinkakuji Temple were originally the villa of a court noble Saionji Kintsune. The villa was greatly improved by its second owner, Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, who laid out an extensive garden and built a beautiful pavilion toward the end of the 14thcentury. The pavilion became known as the “Golden Pavilion” or Kinkaku because of its gorgeous gilding. After Yoshimatsu’s death the villa was turned into a Zen Buddhist temple under the name of Rokuonji. However, the temple is better known by its popular name Kinkakuji, or “Temple of Golden Pavilion”. The garden is extensive and has a large pond by which stands the Golden Pavilion. The reflection of the pavilion on the water produces a picturesque view.