Koyasan: A Sacred Mountain Retreat

Perched at 900 meters in the mountains near Osaka, Koyasan is a captivating temple town that offers the perfect respite from busy travels.

A Sacred History

In 816, Kobo Daishi established Kongobu-ji temple here after returning from Buddhist studies in China's Tang Dynasty. Koyasan became the spiritual center of Shingon Buddhism and remains one of Japan's most sacred sites. In 2004, UNESCO designated it part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" World Heritage Site.

The Temple Stay Experience

Around 21 temples in Koyasan offer overnight accommodations (shukubo). I stayed at Shojoshin-in, a prominent temple founded by Kobo Daishi in 828-834. The experience includes:

• Check-in at 2:00 PM through the Omotemon gate

• Goma-gyo (holy fire ritual) ceremony

• Evening vegetarian cuisine at 5:30 PM

• Morning religious service at 6:30 AM

The vegetarian meals, supervised by Osaka's prestigious "Ajikitcho" restaurant since 2022, use local seasonal ingredients and are truly exceptional—subtle textures with careful attention to what's in season.

Must-Do Experiences

Meditation at Kongobuji: Book a 45-minute meditation session with seasoned monks. Though challenging to secure and physically demanding, you'll leave feeling deeply serene and calm.

Okuno-in Cemetery: Japan's largest cemetery stretches 2 kilometers with over 200,000 tombstones beneath ancient cedar trees. This is the site of Kobo Daishi's mausoleum, where he is said to remain in eternal meditation. From imperial families to commoners, Okuno-in embodies the Buddhist principle that in death, we are all equal.

Getting There

A Swiss-made cable car, refurbished in 2019, carries visitors from Gokurakubashi Station (direct from Osaka) to Koyasan in just 5 minutes. Large windows provide stunning mountain views as you ascend 340 meters.

Ready to experience Koyasan? Explore our temple stay packages and discover Japan's sacred mountain retreat.