Koyasan, or Mt. Koya, is a famous and popular pilgrimage destination. Located in Wakayama prefecture, this mountain is the center of Shingon Buddhism which was introduced to Japan by Kobo Daishi. Okunoin is located within the area and is the site of the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi. He is believed to be in an eternal meditation as he waits for the Buddha of the Future and provides salvation to those who ask for it. The faith of Japanese people can be attested with more than 200,000 gravestones in the enormous cemetery.
My friends and I started early, but it still took us about three hours to reach the main station at Koyasan. Doing an overnight stay at one of the many temples is a popular option for many pilgrims and visitors. It gives them an opportunity to experience the traditional lifestyle of Buddhist monks. We didn't stay overnight, but were still able to spend the day there and explore around.
Catching the cable car up to the main station
We caught one of the many buses from the station and got off at Rengedani. From there, we explored the area for the rest of the day. The map made Koyasan appear to be extremely big, but we ended up walking to every temple with the exception of Okunoin.
I usually see either Japanese or English written on ema (small wooden plaques where people write down their wishes or prayers) so it was exciting to see someone from Argentina write out their wishes/prayers! :)
Konpon Daito. With a height of 48.5 meters, this temple was one of the most impressive ones that we saw. It is located within Ganjo Garan along with several other temples and pagodas.
The entrance to Okunoin, an enormous graveyard where thousands of people from all ranks lie peacefully. This includes military commanders, CEOs from large companies, and your regular average person.
Torodo: Lantern Temple
Probably my favorite picture from that day :)
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a wonderful week! ^^
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