Despite its name, the Silver Pavilion was never covered in silver — the shogun who built it as a retirement villa during a civil war ran out of funds or ambition. What you'll find instead is more subtle and arguably more beautiful: meticulously raked cones of white sand said to represent a mountain and lake, tall pines reflected in a still pond, and a path that winds up the mountainside through moss-covered trees. The unfinished quality is its beauty — wabi-sabi incarnate. Visit right at opening or just before closing to beat the crowds that can be relentless in spring and autumn.