Jisho-ji retains the aesthetic-seeking spirit of Yoshimasa.
Ginkaku-ji’s official name is Jisho-ji, an affiliate temple of Shokoku-ji Temple.

Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) was so named in the Edo Period in contrast with Kinkaku-ji (Gold Pavilion).
Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, originally built Ginkaku-ji as the Higashiyama-den palace.

 After Yoshimasa passed away, the palace became a Zen Rinzai School temple named after Yoshimasa’s posthumous Buddhist name of “Jisho-in.” Yoshimasa became the family head at age 9, and shogun at age 15. He spent his lifetime pursuing aesthetic beauty. 

His Higashiyama-den palace reflected the essence of Higashiyama culture of refined simplicity. Ginkaku-ji still retains the aesthetic-seeking spirit of Yoshimasa even 500 years later.