Just like Ginkakuji (銀閣寺), we went to Kinkakuji via bus for free, using our Kansai Surutto pass. So from the former, we had two options, Bus 102 or Bus 204. We took the latter bus, starting from the Ginkakuji bus stop (銀閣寺道) and alighting at Kinkakuji bus stop (金閣寺道). The temple is just a short walk from there along Kuramaguchi Dori (鞍馬口通).
There's an abundance of trees as you enter the temple grounds before paying for the admission, which is 400円. It was autumn when we went there, so the path was very colorful. There was a big bell, which I really didn't know what for, although it looked like couples lined-up to ring that bell. Before the actual gate and the ticketing windows is a map of the Ginkakuji temple grounds.
Again, like Ginkakuji, there's a path towards the actual temple, and around the entire grounds. There were a lot of people in strategic spots where you would think photographers took pictures of the temple, so be patient and just wait for your turn to get in front. There's a turn right beside the temple where you would be very close to the structure. As we went along, the path became uphill, providing a nice overhead view of the temple, as well as the gardens along the way. People also threw coins at statues, which was supposed to be for good luck. We wanted to stay a little longer, but we were running out of time, so we tried to cover everything for about an hour.
Japanese information about Kinkakuji
Kinkakuji from japan-guide
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