Explore Koyasan: A Guide to Wakayama’s Sacred Mountains

Koyasan: A Spiritual Retreat in Japan’s Midwest

Located in Wakayama Prefecture, Koyasan is among Japan’s most famous spiritual centers. Koyasan is situated in an 800-meter-high basin surrounded by eight mountain peaks, each rising to around 1,000 meters. At the heart of this elevated area lies Koya Town, home to numerous temples and sacred sites.

The reason for this spirituality is Kobo Daishi, also known as Kukai, a Buddhist monk who visited China and came back to become the founder of Japanese Shingon Buddhism. He set up the sect’s headquarters on Koyasan, and from there, a temple town developed.

Although he is known for his significant role in Buddhism, Kobo Daishi is said to have been welcomed by two Shinto deities, and guided to the mountain by the black and white dog companions of the Shinto god Takanomiko-no-okami (whose mother is Niutsuhime-no-Okami, who gave a part of the land to Kobo Daishi to open up Koyasan).

Because of this, Koyasan is one of the few places in Japan where you can still see Shinto and Buddhist elements side by side.

Now, Koya Town is a beautiful area where you can not only visit historic temples, but stay in some of them, too. Many pilgrims also visit Koyasan after completing the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage to pay their respects to Kukai, expressing gratitude for his protection during their journey. While Koyasan is not part of the pilgrimage route, its deep spiritual connection makes it a meaningful destination for those who have completed the trail. There are also various hiking and trekking routes around the town.

Getting to Koyasan

It’s easiest to visit Koyasan from Osaka or Kyoto, as from Tokyo it can take around five hours!

By train, the easiest option is to leave from Osaka’s Namba Station. Check times here for direct trains to Gokurakubashi Station, indicated by orange and dark orange.

If you have large luggage, it’s best to leave it in Osaka, as it will be hard to carry around Koyasan (and you are not allowed wheeled luggage at temple stays).

There is a direct train from Koyasan Station to Namba Station on the way back, and the Kyoto Highway Bus leaves from Koyakeisatsu-mae (Kongobuji-kita) at 3:27 PM once a day, stopping also at Okunoin and Daimon. Make sure to plan your day accordingly.

What to do in Koyasan

Once you’ve made it to the area, here are some of the top spots to explore in Koyasan.

Daimon Gate

At the top of the pilgrimage route, and the first stop for anyone coming from on the bus from Kyoto, Daimon is the main spiritual gate to Mt. Koya. While it was once a Shinto torii gate further down the mountain.

The gate was rebuilt in 1705 in its current form in more of a Buddhist temple gate style, with two Vadrajhara statues on either side. There is an inscription that reads, “Kobo Daishi appears each morning, makes the rounds, and offers us salvation,” implying that Kobo Daishi is always with all who enter.

To the left of the gate is the Nyoninmichi trail entrance (women’s trail), which leads to Okunoin.

The Choishimichi trail ends in front of the gate across the road and this is still now a symbol of the entrance to Koyasan and the final checkpoint for those who have made the pilgrimage here.

Kongobu-ji temple

Though not the first structure to be built on Koyasan, Kongobu-ji is now the head temple of the mountain, and the main headquarters of Shingon Buddhism nationwide, heading around 4,000 temples across Japan.

Kongobu-ji temple is made up of two conjoined temples. They were officially joined in 1869 and started operating as Kongobu-ji. The first original temple of Kongobu-ji was constructed in 1593 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Before entering, take a look at the roof, and you’ll see two large buckets. These would collect rainwater for tipping out in case of a fire, a common problem historically. Inside is surprisingly spacious, and each room has different illustrations, including more modern pieces by Hiroshi Senju which were added in the past few years.

The central rooms have historic descriptions relating to Kobo Daishi’s (referred to as Kukai here) journey. Look out for room eight, where you will see a depiction of the two dogs that guided him to Koyasan.

The central garden, called Banryu-tei, has large rocks that were transported from Kobo Daishi’s birthplace, Shikoku. This rock garden is the largest of its kind in Japan, and was created on the 1150th anniversary of Kobo Daishi’s entry to Nirvana. The rocks themselves depict a male and female dragon protecting the temple, with the largest central rocks being their heads.

Danjo Garan Pagoda Complex

Technically a part of Kongobu-ji, the Danjo Garan Pagoda complex is up the road from the temple, and is Koyasan’s most iconic location visually. This is where Kobo Daishi first broke soil to create the temple buildings.

The golden Buddha in the Konpon Daito

Danjo Garan is said to depict the two sacred Mandalas of Shingon Buddhism. These are the Mandalas of the Two Realms: the Diamond World Mandala and the Womb World Mandala. The central Konpon Daito pagoda is a 3D representation of the two mandalas, with the golden Buddha in the center of the hall from the Womb Realm surrounded by four Buddhist figures from the Diamond Realm. In the back right corner, you can see a portrait of Kobo Daishi and his master, Keika Osyo.

The Shinto area in the Danjo Garan pagoda complex

The Danjo Garan complex has a number of other buildings to explore, too. Next to Konpon Daito is Miedo, which was originally Kobo Daishi’s training hall, and now enshrines a portrait of him that can only be seen once a year in spring. Towards the west of the complex, there is Miyashiro, the only Shinto-specific part. The two dog companions are depicted here too.

There is a lot to see in the Danjo Garan pagoda complex, so make sure to allow enough time to explore each building. Note that the pagoda itself is the only one you can enter.

Okunoin

Okunoin is an important spot as it is the location of Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum, making it the closest worshippers can be to him. He is not said to have died, but instead rests in eternal meditation.

After his passing, Okunoin is now a large cemetery with over 200,000 tombstones amid a towering cedar tree forest. Those entombed here desired to be close to Kobo Daishi, and most often have this as their second grave spot, using just a small portion of their ashes, nails or hair, or by only entombing their spirit here.

Interestingly, there is a newer section of the complex between the entrance and Eireiden which is corporate memorial statues. While some of these are for founders or workers who died during work, others are simply for the company to receive a blessing from Kobo Daishi. Some even have business card slots to pay your respect to the company, and many have interesting and creative monuments relating to the company, such as a Yakult bottle and a coffee cup.

Monks bringing Kobo Daishi his lunch at 10:30 AM

Though far from the current entrances, the Gobyo-no-hashi Bridge separates the rest of the cemetery from the sacred site of Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum. Visitors are meant to bow before crossing this bridge, and if you step carefully on each stone slab, it is said to have the same effect as if you had recited a sutra. Twice a day, at 6 AM and 10:30 AM, monks bring food in a procession as an offering to Kobo Daishi, then return it to share among themselves.

Add makeup to a part of your body you wish to beautify

There are a lot of culturally significant points to explore in Okunoin. You will see a lot of “gorinto” which are five-part gravestones representing earth, water, fire, wind and the universe. But you may also see slightly rarer depictions, such as the “Okesho Jizo” which is said to make you more beautiful in whatever facet you add makeup to on the statue. But even without a guide to explain each aspect, the grounds have a mystical feel to them amid the moss and cedar trees, and are a unique place to explore.

Koya Town

As well as the specific temples and spiritual sites, Koya Town is a peaceful place to explore that is full of character. It is especially beautiful in the colors of spring and autumn, and has a number of cafés and shops to visit, as well as smaller temples.

Some great spots for both souvenirs and meals are the Japanese Spice Shop, Café Shizuku, and Tenpu Terrace. There is also the Reihokan Museum and Koyasan Digital Museum, as well as various temples along the streets offering temple stays. The town is compact enough that you can easily walk to each destination, but there are also four bus routes going around the town.

Hiking Around Koyasan

No.5 on the Women’s Pilgrimage Course, near Daimon

As a start and end point for historic pilgrimage routes, of course, there are plenty of hiking options around Koyasan.

There are a couple of different recommended courses, with the shortest taking around 45 minutes, and the longest 2 hours and 50 minutes. These courses are a part of the Koyasan’s Choishi Stupa Route, the Koya Sanzan Route, and the Women Pilgrims Route.

You can download the maps and see time required here.

Unmissable Experiences in Koyasan

Morning ceremony at Rengejo-in temple stay

It wouldn’t be trip to Koyasan without making the most of the temple experience! Getting up close and personal with temple life is an unmissable way to spend your time here.

The best way to experience that is by staying overnight at a temple. We have an entire article about that in the link below, but it essentially involves staying among the monks in a real Buddhist temple. The evenings have a meditation session followed by traditional Shojin Ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), and in the mornings, you can attend the morning ceremony. Some temple stays also offer the Goma Taki fire ceremony, but if you do not stay overnight or your temple doesn’t offer it, you can also see it at Shojoshin-in temple during the day.

We highly recommend staying overnight to make the most of Koyasan, and that way, you can see Danjo Garan and Okunoin at night, too!

Recommended Tours

Where to stay in Koyasan

Travel Tips

Autumn colors starting to show at the end of October

Recommended Seasons

Spring and autumn are the most popular seasons to visit Koyasan, as the spring cherry blossoms and autumn leaves add beautiful colors to the town. Summer and winter have their perks, as summer is about 10 degrees cooler than nearby cities, and in winter it is the only place around with beautiful snow. However, summer is also prone to high rainfall, which can make the paths slippery and less suited to hiking and sightseeing, and in winter temperatures frequently drop below freezing, which can be very cold in the temples.

Remember that as it is atop a mountain, flowers bloom about a month later than elsewhere nearby, so cherry blossom season is typically end of April to early May.

Koyasan Events and Festivals

There are a number of events throughout the year on Koyasan that you can see here, but some of the ones to look out for are as follows.

How long to spend in Koyasan

Rengejo-in

Overall, while Koyasan can technically be done as a day trip from Osaka, to get the most of the experience, it is highly recommended to stay at least one night. Choosing to spend longer will depend on the activities you intend to do. If you want to experience a temple stay and explore the town, one night will likely be enough. But if you intend to hike the various routes, it is best to stay longer.

Written by:

Cassandra Lord is a British journalist specialising in food, travel, and culture, and has been in Japan for five years after studying Japanese at Edinburgh University for four. With a year of experience as co-editor for LIVE JAPAN, Cassandra has since transitioned to freelance writing, contributing to a variety of platforms including The Japan Times and Tokyo Weekender. During her time in Japan she has visited 25 prefectures, with a goal to eventually visit all 47. She also manages her own YouTube channel, “Cassandra Lord”, which is dedicated to all things related to Japanese culinary culture. She also works as a translator and photographer.