Japan is one of the countries that managed to impress me the most on all my travels. I arrived with practically no expectations and boy, was I in for a surprise! While the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, the neon madness of Osaka, and the stunning natural beauty of Mt Fuji are all worth writing home about, it was one tiny temple elsewhere that really stuck out for me.
Kinkaku-ji (or rather, Temple of the Golden Pavilion) is located in Kyoto, the cultural capital of the country. You can’t enter the actual temple but, honestly speaking, that doesn’t really matter because what makes it so special is its setting. If you’re lucky enough to visit on a clear day – when the sun makes the gold leaf and pond reflection really pop – it can almost feel like you’re staring at a painting. It’s beyond majestic!