Dry Garden

Silver Pavilion of Ginkaku-ji
Kyoto, Japan

Much is made of the Ginshaden "sea of silver sand" dry garden (left) and Kogetsudai "moon-viewing platform" sand-mountain (right; the Ginshaden surrounds the Kogetsudai). They were probably created in the Edo period, much later than the pavilion. The Ginshaden reflects moonlight like a silver lake, while the designers artistically sculpted the sandpile – which is also a practical feature for maintaining the dry garden – - into an idealized likeness of Mt. Fuji.