The Kondō, or “Golden Hall,” was one of the earliest buildings established at Mt. Kōya by its founder, Kūkai, in the year 819. Originally, known as the Kōdō, or "Lecture Hall," it remains the setting for most of the important religious services held throughout the year at Mt. Kōya. The term "Golden Hall," which it shares with the main halls of other early Buddhist temples (Nara’s Hōryūji and Tōshōdaiji temples, for example), is thought to stem from either the gilt used as part of the interior ornamentation or perhaps the golden color of the Buddhist image venerated within.

The central object of worship inside the Golden Hall of Mt. Kōya is Ashuku Nyorai (Skt: Akshobhya) whose image is located behind the closed doors of a black cabinet behind the central dais. In Esoteric Buddhism, this Buddha is identified with Yakushi Nyorai (Skt: Bhaisajyaguru), the Buddha of Medicine and Healing. While his image is hidden (revealed only once, during the celebrations of 1,200th-anniversary of the founding of Mt. Kōya), we can see six companion deities in the bays to the left and right. They are Kokūzō Bosatsu, Gōzanze Myō’ō, and Kongō-ō; and Kongōsatta, Fudō Myō’ō, and Fugen Bosatsu, respectively.

Two Important Mandala

Facing each other from the left and right sides of the large central area (known as the naijin) are the two mandala central to Shingon Buddhist faith and practice.

On the left (or western) side is the Diamond Realm Mandala; on the right (or eastern) side is the Womb Realm Mandala.

The latter is sometimes called the "Blood Mandala" in reference to a legend in which Taira no Kiyomori (1118 – 1181) is said to have used blood from his own forehead to color part of the diadem of the Great Sun Buddha. The actual mandala are housed at the nearby Reihō-kan Museum as smoke from incense used at the Kondō was judged to be harmful to these important treasures.

Destruction by Fire

Like almost all of the major buildings of Mt. Kōya’s Danjō-garan, the Golden Hall is one in a succession of reconstructions after its predecessor had been destroyed by fire.

The current structure dates from 1932; it is the sixth Kondō to have stood on the present and original site.

The previous Golden Hall burned to the ground in a fire in the early hours of December 26, 1926, between memorial services for the Taishō Emperor Yoshihito, who had died the day before.

Despite frantic efforts to save them, most of the precious objects inside the Kondō were reduced to ashes.