Animated Pictograms

Fun and easy-to-understand presentation of historical culture and traditional customs that are uniquely Japanese.

  • VISIT TO TEMPLE / SHIRINE
  • BOWING
  • POUNDING RICE CAKE
  • HAILING A CAB / TAXI
  • TAKING A BATH
  • WATER ABLUTION
  • TEA CEREMONY
  • RHYTHMIC CLAPPING AT CELEBRATIONS
  • RIDING THE TRAIN
  • WINNING MOVES IN SUMŌ
  • AWA DANCE FESTIVAL
  • Coming Soon

About The Project

EXPERIENCE JAPAN PICTOGRAMS were developed to provide visual support for tourists in Japan.
For more information about the objectives and design concept of the project, please click here.

Request

If you would like us to create new PICTOGRAMS for you or have other requests, please contact us here.

TEMPLE OF THE GOLDEN PAVILION

鹿苑寺(金閣寺)[ROKUON-JI(KINKAKU-JI)]

A Buddhist temple and one of the most popular tourist sites in Kyoto designated as a World Heritage Site. Though officially named Rokuon-ji, it is better known as Kinkaku-ji (golden pavilion) because its top two stories are covered with pure gold leaf. One of the reasons for its popularity is its all-year-round seasonally changing beauty with cherry blossoms in spring, plush greenery in summer, colored leaves in autumn, and snow in winter. Kinkaku-ji has been burned down twice: during a civil war in the 15th century and by arson in 1950. It was restored to the current building using 200,000 pieces or 20 kg of gold leaf, at a cost of 700 million yen. It is said that the monk responsible for setting fire to the temple did so because of “intense jealousy he felt toward the beauty of the temple.” It is a must visit place for those eager to be awestruck by its other-worldly beauty.