The Temple of the Golden Pavilion

Name: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Author: Yukio Mishima
ISBN: 9788901012575

by Yukio Mishima

1956 · literary fiction · adult

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Set in 4 places · 4 primary

Sense of Place

5/5

Description · Open Library (CC0)

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.

Awards

Yomiuri Prize (1956)winner

Screen adaptations

Enjō (1958)film

Set in

★
Kinkaku-ji · Japan
temple at center of narrative
★ primary
★
Kyoto · Japan
temple city setting
★ primary
★
Cape Nariu · Japan
Mizoguchi's childhood home; his father's temple on this real cape near Maizuru
★ primary
★
Otani University · Japan
Mizoguchi and Tsurukawa matriculate here as acolytes
★ primary