KoyaQuest
Suggested Itineraries
Suggested Itineraries
Suggested Itineraries
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Given the fact that it can take at least two hours to travel to Mt. Kōya from the Osaka-Kyoto area, a three or four hour stay may not seem enough, but there are still a number of things that can make the journey well worth it.
Assuming at least four hours to spend on Mt. Kōya, this plan permits brief visits to:
From Koyasan Station, take either the bus that goes to the Daimon (one bus per hour) and get off at Kondōmae, or take the more frequent bus to Okunoin-mae and get off at Senjuinbashi. If you arrive at Kondōmae, you can immediately enter the Danjō-garan at the Chūmon, or Central Gate. If you take the bus to Senjuinbashi, you will have to walk about five minutes to the Shabaramichi, or "Snake-Belly Lane," which is the eastern approach to the Danjō-garan.
Thirty to forty minutes should be enough to traverse the large open area of the Danjō-garan. If time permits, take a look inside either the Kondō (¥500), the Konpon-daitō (¥500), or both.
The main headquarters of the Kōyasan sect of Shingon Buddhism is located a few meters past the Shabaramichi. The price of admission (¥1000) includes a complimentary cup of green tea (sencha) and a light snack in the Shin Betsu-den assembly hall.
Allow at least thirty minutes to explore the various rooms along the recommended route.
A highlight along the way is "Banryūtei," Japan's largest rock garden, which depicts two dragons rising from a sea of clouds. The large monastery kitchen at the end of the route is a favorite among visitors.
Buses to Oku-no-in run regularly from the Senjuinbashi bus stop (about 150 meters to the east of Kongōbuji Temple). If you have enough time to walk the entire 1.6km length of the Oku-no-in cemetery, get off at Ichi-no-hashi-guchi. For an abbreviated trek, stay on the bus until the Okunoin-mae stop.
From Ichi-no-hashi: There is basically only one route, known as the Sandō, linking the entrance to Oku-no-in and the Mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi (Kūkai). Except for obvious side paths, any forks in the route will eventually reunite.
The best advice for first-time visitors, is simply to stroll along the 1.6km stone path while taking in the solemn and mysterious atmosphere of Japan's largest and most sacred cemetery. There are hundreds of things to see and many are marked with signs in both Japanese and English. (Of course, many of these are included in the KoyaQuest app!) Be sure to cross the Tamagawa River and complete the journey to the resting place of the founder of Mt. Kōya.
From the Gobyō Bridge, it's about a 300-meter walk back along the path that you came to a side route that will take you through the modern section of Oku-no-in to the Koyasan Okunoin Parking Area and the Okunoin-mae bus stop. Buses to Koyasan Station run at least two times an hour.
From Okunoin-mae: Enter through the modern section of the cemetery. At the "intersection" (approx. 400 meters from the parking lot), turn left and up a slight slope to the main Sandō. Turn right onto this path and walk the remaining 300 or 400 meters to the Gobyō Bridge and the mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi.
While missing many fascinating points of interest at Oku-no-in, this shorter route will nonetheless give visitors a clear idea and memorable impression of Oku-no-in.
Although the growing popularity of the Shukubō (Temple Stay) experience means that more people are spending more than one day at Mt. Kōya, most visitors still take in the sights in a single day.
In a full day, a visitor to Mt. Kōya can certainly enjoy its best offerings (while leaving others for a return trip in the future).
With about eight hours to spend on Mt. Kōya, this plan permits visits to:
From Koyasan Station, take the bus to the Daimon. (Some might find it more practical to make the short trip by taxi rather than wait for the buses that run less frequently on this route. Walking the 2.4 kilometers is not recommended as the public road is narrow, steep and can be heavily trafficked. And the private road used by the bus is prohibited to pedestrians.)
As the most famous and imposing entrance to Mt. Kōya, the Daimon or Great Gate is an obvious place to begin. It should not take more than 15 minutes to get an appreciation for the features of the gate, including the magnificent sculptures of the Kongō-rikishi standing guard on each side.
From the Daimon, it's about a 500-meter walk to the Chūmon, or Central Gate, which marks the entrance to the Danjō-garan. (A Family Mart convenience store across the street affords a place to take a pause before continuing.)
Sixty minutes should be plenty of time to see all of the various temple buildings that make up the ceremonial center of Mt. Kōya.
The only two buildings of the Garan that can be entered are the Konpon-daitō, or Great Stupa, and the Kondō, or Golden Hall. The former features a large golden statue of Dainichi Nyorai surrounded by three- and two-dimensional images of his celetstial court. The Kondō boasts huge copies of the Diamond Realm and Womb Realm Mandalas which face one another from opposite sides of the central altar. Each is worth both the entrance fee (¥500, and ¥500, respectively) and the trouble of removing one's shoes before going inside.
Below the Fudōdō and just to the east of the Chūmon is the Hasu-ike Lotus Pond with a picturesque arched bridge leading to a small Shinto Shrine dedicated to a Benevolent Dragon Queen.
Across the street is the Reihōkan Museum (¥1300), where many of the great treasures belonging to the various temples of Mt. Kōya are on display. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to view the highlights.
From the museum, it's another 500-meter walk along the street to the entrance of the largest temple at Mt. Kōya and the headquarters of the Kōyasan Sect of Shingon Buddhism: Kongōbuji Temple.
Tip: if you exit the museum a few minutes before 1:00 pm, you might choose to retrace your steps back to the Danjō-garan to watch the ringing of the Bell of the Daitō. From there, Kongōbuji can be reached by the Shabaramichi path at the eastern end of the Garan.
(For those who wish to break for lunch before continuting, there are a number of restaurants along the main street just a few minutes on foot from the entrance to Kongōbuji Temple.)
Kongōbuji Temple is a sprawpng complex of buildings connected by galleries and gardens. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to survey the different rooms along the recommended route. The price of admission (¥1000) includes a complimentary cup of green tea (sencha) and a light snack in the Shin Betsu-den assembly hall where you may have the chance to hear a priest deliever a brief, informal sermon. These are normally in Japanese, but an English talk is not unheard of. (Don't worry about taking a place on the tatami floor while the speaker is talking or leaving before he or she is finished. Just smile and bow as you go your way.)
The recommended route will take you along a verandah overlooking Banryūtei, Japan's largest rock garden. It concludes in the large monastery kitchen.
The Oku-no-in Sandō is a 1.6-km stone path guiding visitors through a forest of tall Japanese cedar trees to the mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi. Over the centuries, the area around the resting place of this holy man developed into an enormous necropolis where thousands of people have chosen to have their spiritual monuments erected. The majestic trees and ancient moss-covered stone pillars that line the route combine to create an atmosphere of tranquil mystery.
Allow an hour or more to leisurely explore the sights along this path.
The Sandō terminates at the Gobyō, or mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi. The mausoleum itself, which is inaccesible and hidden from view, is behind a large Lantern Hall (Tōrōdō). If you have time, be sure to check out the rows of votive lanterns hanging in either the basement or annex of this building.
Exit the Oku-no-in cemetery through the modern section to the Okunoin-mae bus stop.
Conclude your visit to Mt. Kōya with a brief stop at Nyonindō, the Women's Hall. This small temple located at one of the tradtional entrances to Mt. Kōya is the last remaining example of the several outposts that once provided lodging for pious women who, due to the prohibition of their sex from entering the holy precincts, were forced to conduct their worship from a place that could only offer a vantage of its rooftops.
This two-day plan assumes that the visitor will be spending the night at Mt. Kōya (ideally at temple lodgings which include traditional Kōyasan vegetarian cuisine and a chance to view morning Buddhist prayer services).
Click here to see list of temples offering lodging.
While this plan includes destinations and experiences not found in the shorter itineraries, it differs mostly in allowing more time and flexibility to get the most out of the things that make Mt. Kōya unique.
With about two full days to spend on Mt. Kōya, this plan permits to experience:
From Koyasan Station, take the bus to the Daimon. (Some might find it more practical to make the short trip by taxi rather than wait for the buses that run less frequently on this route. Walking the 2.4 kilometers is not recommended as the public road is narrow, steep and can be heavily trafficked. And the private road used by the bus is prohibited to pedestrians.)
As the most famous and imposing entrance to Mt. Kōya, the Daimon or Great Gate is an obvious place to begin. It should not take more than 15 minutes to get an appreciation for the features of the gate, including the magnificent sculptures of the Kongō-rikishi standing guard on each side.
From the Daimon, it's about a 500-meter walk to the Chūmon, or Central Gate, which marks the entrance to the Danjō-garan. (A Family Mart convenience store across the street affords a place to take a pause before continuing.)
Sixty minutes should be plenty of time to visit all of the various temple buildings that make up the ceremonial center of Mt. Kōya.
The only two buildings of the Garan that can be entered are the Konpon-daitō, or Great Stupa, and the Kondō, or Golden Hall. The former features a large golden statue of Dainichi Nyorai surrounded by three- and two-dimensional images of his celetstial court. The Kondō boasts huge copies of the Diamond Realm and Womb Realm Mandalas which face one another from opposite sides of the central altar. Each is worth both the entrance fee (¥500, and ¥500, respectively) and the trouble of removing one's shoes before going inside.
Below the Fudōdō and just to the east of the Chūmon is the Hasu-ike Lotus Pond with a picturesque arched bridge leading to a small Shinto Shrine dedicated to a Benevolent Dragon Queen.
Across the street is the Reihōkan Museum (¥1300), where many of the great treasures belonging to the various temples of Mt. Kōya are on display. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to view the highlights.
One interesting activity that visitors to Mt. Kōya can enjoy is the experience of copying a sutra (shakyō). For a fee, participants are provided with a traceable copy of the Heart Sutra -- all in kanji, of course -- and a writing brush. After the proper ritual preparations, which include purification with powdered incense rubbed onto the palms, they sit on their knees at a low table in a tatami-matted room.
It takes about an hour to carefully copy the 260-odd characters of the sutra. The quiet concentration required to complete the task is meant to be meditative and reflection upon its content good for the soul. Even those with no knowledge of Japanese can take part.
As a devotional exercise, many participants choose to offer their completed sutra at Oku-no-in, but it can also be taken home.
The experience is offered at the Daishi Kyōkai Honbu (near Kongōbuji Temple) for ¥1000. (A ¥100 surcharge is added for those who want to keep their copy). The chance to copy the sutra is also available at certain temples that provide overnight lodging.
From the museum, it's another 500-meter walk along the street to the entrance of the largest temple at Mt. Kōya and the headquarters of the Kōyasan Sect of Shingon Buddhism: Kongōbuji Temple.
Tip: if you exit the museum a few minutes before 1:00 pm, you might choose to retrace your steps back to the Danjō-garan to watch the ringing of the Bell of the Daitō. From there, Kongōbuji can be reached by the Shabaramichi path at the eastern end of the Garan.
(For those who wish to break for lunch before continuting, there are a number of restaurants along the main street just a few minutes on foot from the entrance to Kongōbuji Temple.)
Kongōbuji Temple is a sprawling complex of buildings connected by galleries and gardens. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to survey the different rooms along the recommended route. The price of admission (¥1000) includes a comppmentary cup of green tea (sencha) and a pght snack in the Shin Betsu-den assembly hall where you may have the chance to hear a priest depever a brief, informal sermon. These are normally in Japanese, but an English talk is not unheard of. (Don't worry about taking a place on the tatami floor while the speaker is talking or leaving before he or she is finished. Just smile and bow as you go your way.)
The recommended route will take you along a verandah overlooking Banryūtei, Japan's largest rock garden. It concludes in the large monastery kitchen.
From Kongōbuji Temple, it is a 15-min walk to the Nyonindō, the Women's Hall. This small temple located at one of the tradtional entrances to Mt. Kōya is the last remaining example of the several outposts that once provided lodging for pious women who, due to the prohibition of their sex from entering the holy precincts, were forced to conduct their worship from a place that could only offer a vantage of its rooftops.
Tokugawa Family Mausoleum
Between the Nyonindō and Kongōbuji is the mausoleum of three members of the Tokugawa family. The enormous importance of the Tokugawa family and their role in the formation of modern Japan makes their mausolem at Mt. Kōya a popular stop for Japanese, though it may be of less interest to others. The fact that there is an admission fee of ¥200 may make this less of a priority for all but the most avid fan of Japanese history.
Description of Sanmai-in
Description of Night Tour
The Oku-no-in Sandō is a 1.6 km stone path guiding visitors through a forest of tall Japanese cedar trees to the mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi. Over the centuries, the area around the resting place of this holy man developed into an enormous necropops where thousands of people have chosen to have their spiritual monuments erected. The majestic trees and ancient moss-covered stone pillars that pne the route combine to create an atmosphere of tranquil mystery.
Allow an hour or more to leisurely explore the sights along this path.
The Sandō terminates at the Gobyō, or mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi. The mausoleum itself, which is inaccesible and hidden from view, is behind a large Lantern Hall (Tōrōdō). If you have time, be sure to check out the rows of votive lanterns hanging in either the basement or annex of this building.
For the faithful, the holy founder of Mt. Kōya did not die in 835. Instead, he is believed to have entered into a state of perpetual meditation in which both breathing and the beating of the heart are suspended. He is expected to remain in this state until the arrival on earth of Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, an event that is supposed to occur at Mt. Kōya several billion years from now.
One the most tangible demonstrations of the belief that Kūkai did not die is the shōjin-gu ritual which takes place twice daily at his mausoleum. At 6:00 and 10:30 am, priests shoulder a small palanquin with an offering of food to Kūkai’s resting place. Before they start the ritual procession across the Gobyō Bridge, they pause to present the food before a small shrine housing the Ajimi, or Taste Testing, Jizō. Presumably, the bodhisattva will ensure that the meal is acceptable.
Visitors who begin their tour of Oku-no-in at Ichi-no-hashi before 9:00 am will have plenty of time to arrive at the Tamagawa River to witness the ceremony.
At 10:30 am, the priests will emerge from the Gokusho. With the palanquin, they will pause briefly before the Ajimi-jizō. From there, they will march briskly to the Gobyō Bridge where they will bow before proceeding toward the Tōrōdō and the mausoleum.
A good place to stand is the main path a few meters before the bridge. Photos may be taken as long as you do not cross the bridge, beyond which photography is prohibited.
Karukayadō is a temple located on Mt. Kōya's main street about 280 meters to the west of the entrance to Oku-no-in. While it is dedicated to a bodhisattva that leads people to paradise after their death, the temple is much more famous for a well known Japanese tale about a boy and in search of his father.
The full story, which has been retold in various forms including Kabuki plays and manga comic books, is presented in illustrated panels along an inner gallery of the present-day Karukayadō, Also on display are three statues called the Oyako Jizō (Parents with Child Jizō). These three figures are said to have been carved by the two main protagonists of the famous tale.
Note As described below, Ajikan Meditation is only offered at specific and varying times. Those interested, should check with the Kōyasan Tourist Information Office for details.
First described in the Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra (aka Mahāvairocana Tantra, Jpn: Dainichikyō), Ajikan meditation is the principal form of mediation of the Shingon school of Buddhism. It was introduced to Japan by Kūkai and has been practiced by priests and lay persons for centuries.
The name "Ajikan" 阿字観 literally means "contemplation of the letter 'a'" — this being the first letter of the Sanskrit (or, more precisely, the Siddhaṃ) alphabet. This graph, ubiquitous around Mt. Kōya, is the "seed letter" representing Dainichi Nyorai, the celestial Buddha.
Ajikan focuses on controlled breathing and meditation and is sometimes referred to as Ajikan yoga (though participants remain still while seated on their knees).
The chance to experience Ajikan mediation is offered at various temples throughout Mt. Kōya, sometimes as an option for shukubō (temple lodging) guests. However, the most easily accessible venue for the general visitor is Kongōbuji Temple where sessions are conducted in a small room overlooking the Banryūtei rock garden.
Sessions, which last about an hour, are offered four days a week, typically (if not entirely consistently) from Friday to Monday at 9:00, 11:00, 13:30 and 15:30 and cost ¥1000 per person. Space is limited to 10 participants, so reservations are recommended.
Visitors who spend more than two days at Mt. Kōya will have already discovered additional places to explore and will have less of a need for a step-by-step plan.
What follows here are a few suggested activities that might be considered.
For most of its history, the sacred precincts (kekkai 結界) of Mt. Kōya permitted entry to men only. However, this did not prevent many faithful women from making their way up the mountain to get as close as possible to the holy places established by Kūkai.
To provide lodging for these women, "nyonindō," or "women's halls," were established at the various entrances to the monastic settlement here. Only one of these halls survives to the present day, but a route connecting the entrances remains and is a popular trail for hikers. Known, somewhat confusingly, as the "nyonindō," or "woman's path" (written with the kanji 女人道), it encircles the village and offers several pleasant views of the temples as well as the surrounding mountains.
Maps are available at the Kōyasan Tourist Information Center. Many hikers choose not to complete the entire circuit but to begin at Fudō-zaka Nyonindō and finish at the Okunoin-mae bus stop. This route is about 7 kilometers in length and takes about 3 hours to walk.
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