The second and third tiers of the pavilion are coated with lacquer and gilded with gold-leaf. The roofs are thatched with shingles of wood similar to cypress (botanical name; Chamaecyparis pisifera).
On top of the roof, a statue of Chinese phoenix, auspicious symbol, is decorated.
Each of the three tiers features a special architectural style; the first floor uses the Aristocratic (Shinden) style, the second, the Warrior style and the third, the Chinese Zen Buddhist style. They are called "Hosui-in" (Dharma Water Room), "Cho-on-do" (Tide Sound Cave), and "Kukkyo-cho" (Supreme Pursuit Summit) respectively.
The Golden Pavilion is one of the most notable architectures in the Muromachi Period (1392 - 1573) in which these three different styles are perfectly blended and harmonized.