Koyasan

Koyasan (Mount Kōya – 高野山) together with Kyoto and Nara is one of the top 3 sightseeing spots within easy reach of the place i live.

First settled in 819 by the monk Kūkai, Mt. Koya is a sacred site primarily known as the headquarters of the Shingon school of Buddhism. Located in an 900 m high plateau amid the eight peaks of the mountain, the original monastery has grown into the town of Koya, featuring a university dedicated to religious studies and 120 temples, many of which offer lodging to pilgrims. It’s estimated that there are about 12 million adherents to this particular interpretation of Buddhism.

The main attractions of Koyasan are:

• Konpon Daitō (根本大塔), a huge pagoda that according to Shingon doctrine represents the central point of a mandala covering not only Mt. Koya but all of Japan
• Kongōbu-ji (金剛峰寺), the headquarters of the Shingon sect
• Okunoin, the mausoleum of Kūkai, surrounded by an immense graveyard (largest in Japan) with many historic graves

Transportation: The Nankai Railway from Osaka Namba station has express trains going directly to Koyasan. The idyllic ride on the train takes you through the mountains/tunnels/forests east of urban Osaka. The train takes about 2 hours to the Koyasan base station and another 5 minutes to go up by to the top by Cable car. I suggest you leave early for Koysan if you plan on a daytrip from Osaka, there are plenty of buildings and places to see and one could easily spend 2 days in this mountain village without getting bored.

Website: The Koyasan tourist website has up to date information about events and useful links.