Higashiyama Jisho-ji, also known as Ginkaku-ji, is a Zen Buddhist temple that was originally built as a retirement villa for Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. The temple is renowned for its beautiful gardens, which were designed in the wabi-sabi aesthetic.

It tends to become quite crowded by midday, so it's advisable to arrive as early as possible. If you're planning to explore the surrounding area on foot, I highly recommend beginning your day at this temple as soon as it opens. Afterward, you can continue your day trip by following the Philosopher's Path and exploring any other locations along the path that might pique your interest.

*I also ended up buying those cute sweets in a beautiful package that you can only get here.