Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺), or Temple of the Silver Pavilion, is officially named Jishō-ji (慈照寺) and built for a Shogun who became a Buddhist monk.
Despite similarities to the Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), Gingkaku-ji is not covered with silver foil, which disappoints many visitors who visit both as a pair. It was built for Ashikaga Yoshimasa who wanted to use it as a retirement villa and then converted into a Zen temple after his death. However, construction was halted because of a war and the structure was never finished before his death.
The garden and temple complex was extensively restored in 2008 but a decision was made not to use silver foil. The building is set at the foot of a hill complete with the kogetsudai and ginshadan (the silver cylindrical structure and the sand mound).
The aspect of the trees and the ponds and the bridges are just absolutely perfect and stunning. The garden is one of those places where no matter where you eyes turn you get a perfectly composed view.
Mention Japan, and a lot of people will associate it with Shinkansen (bullet trains). Trains of various kinds are a major mode of transport both within and across cities.
Nikko is a small town about 2 hours from Tokyo that is famous for the UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of a complex of shrines, temples and shogun mausoleums.
In recent years, Akihabara has become infamous not only as a place where you can buy cheap electronic goods but an epicentre for Japanese otaku culture.
Chris Tham is a co-founder of Visual Voyager Pty Ltd, the Principal Voigtländer Ambassador for Mainline Photographics and a Workshop Instructor for Mainline Photo Academy.
She brings over 35 years of experience as a photographer to her role, starting with a Yashica rangefinder belonging to her dad, joining the Photography Club in school, and developing her own photos.
More recently, Chris has been taking photos during her travels, and as a result has experienced some of the most interesting places in the world.
Chris focuses on nature, street, and urban architecture subjects in her photography.