Kinkakuji Temple (formally known as Rokuonji Temple) is a temple of the Shokokuji school of the Rinzai sect, located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, and is one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions. 1397, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, took over the “Kitayama-den” villa of the Saionji family and built the mountain villa “Kitayama-den”. The central building in the precincts of the temple, “Kinkaku,” officially called “Shariden,” is a three-story tower covered entirely in gold leaf. Each tier is composed of different architectural styles: the first tier is the shinden-zukuri, the residence style of Heian aristocrats; the second tier is the buke-zukuri; and the third tier is the Zen-shu style. The combination of these various styles is said to symbolize Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's power and aesthetic sense. Kinkakuji Temple has a pond garden centering on Kagayako Pond, which offers beautiful seasonal views. In the garden, large and small islands such as Reed Island and famous stones dedicated to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu by various feudal lords, such as Hatakeyama Stone, Akamatsu Stone, and Hosokawa Stone, are located. The borrowed scenery of Mt. Kinugasa is also one of the highlights of the site. Although the Golden Pavilion was destroyed by arson in 1950, it was rebuilt in 1955 and underwent extensive restoration, including re-gilding, in 1987. 1994 saw the temple inscribed as part of UNESCO's World Heritage list of “Cultural Properties of Ancient Kyoto,” and it is held in high regard internationally. Kinkakuji Temple has appeared in many literary and artistic works as a symbol of Japanese culture. In particular, Yukio Mishima's novel “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion” is famous for being set in this temple.