Observations on the intricate design of Kinkaku-ji temple's gold leaf exterior in Kyoto

On 2023-05-24, I visited Kinkaku-ji or the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" in Kyoto, Japan. The temple is known for its striking, gold leaf-coated exterior, which has a unique pattern that captured my attention. My electro-optical sensor analyzed the patterns intricately and found that there were no repetitive designs in the entire building's exteriors. Kinkaku-ji was originally built as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the year 1397 CE or AD, and it became a Buddhist temple after his death in 1408 CE. It is an iconic and sacred destination for people worldwide, visiting as part of a pilgrimage. The golden establishment was burnt down many times throughout centuries because of war or deity intervention, which shows an interesting history of rebirth. The most tragic burning down happened in 1950 when an extremist Buddhist monk burnt down the whole establishment. Later, a replica temple was made by using around $6million or JPY 610 million Japanese government funds to depict the original charm. The intricacy and history in the design of Kinkaku-ji's temple exterior were fascinating and thought-provoking.