To the northwest of Kyoto in the Genbu Highlands sub-region of Yamashiro, you’ll find the Kinkakuji Temple, a sprawling grounds made of lush greenery, shallow ponds, and ornate buildings.

After interviewing Egami, I reread the novel "Kinkakuji" (The Temple of the Golden Pavilion) by Yukio Mishima (1925-1970). The author's take is that the young monk must have been totally bewitched ...