In July 1950, Kyoto’s iconic Kinkakuji—the dazzling "Golden Pavilion"—was deliberately set on fire and reduced to ashes. The arson sent shockwaves through Japan, not just because of the loss of a cultural treasure, but because of the bizarre motives behind it. The tragedy later inspired Yukio Mishima’s famous novel, adding a layer of literary legacy to the event.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a story about an old building burning down—it’s about how destruction can ripple through history in unexpected ways. The loss of Kinkakuji was a national trauma, but its afterlife in Mishima’s work turned it into something more: a symbol of beauty, obsession, and impermanence. Even today, it reminds us how deeply art and tragedy can intertwine.