The Temple of the Golden Pavilion

The son of a poor rural priest becomes an acolyte at the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Mizoguchi had built up an image of ideal beauty in his mind based on this Golden Pavilion; this ideal image causes him to feel disappointed in any supposed form of beauty, even the actual physical Golden Pavilion. He comes under the influence of Kashiwagi, a fellow student with a very bitter view of life.

Set in

• ★
  Kinkaku-ji · Japan

  temple at center of narrative
  ★ primary
• ★
  Kyoto · Japan

  temple city setting
  ★ primary