[Koyasan] Koyasan, a sacred site: A day exploring Kukai's philosophy and the Japanese view of life and death.

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The tour we will be introducing today is

Mount Koya, a sacred site: A day exploring Kukai's philosophy and the Japanese view of life and death.

This tour offers a day of experiential exploration of the worldview of Esoteric Buddhism established by Kukai and the Japanese view of life and death, set against the backdrop of the unique setting of Mount Koya. First, at the Danjo Garan complex, you will tour the Konpon Daito pagoda and the Kondo hall, visually experiencing the cosmology depicted by Esoteric Buddhism amidst the colorful buildings and majestic atmosphere. By encountering a worldview on a different scale than reality, your consciousness will gradually drift away from everyday life. Next, at Kongobu-ji Temple, you will learn about its history and role as the center of Mount Koya, and through the aesthetic sensibilities embodied in the fusuma paintings and rock gardens, you will feel the profound depth of Japanese culture where religion and art are intertwined. The tension and beauty that permeate the stillness speak to the high level of spirituality. Afterward, you will savor vegetarian cuisine at a temple lodging, experiencing the philosophy of "food," which is also part of the ascetic practice. Furthermore, through experiences such as sutra copying and Ajikan meditation, you will receive the teachings not merely as knowledge, but as your own senses. Finally, the journey concludes at Oku. As you walk along the path surrounded by cedar trees, you will step into the heart of Kobo Daishi worship and encounter the uniquely Japanese view of life and death, which involves being with the deceased. The scenery and experiences you have seen up to that point will quietly connect and be elevated to a single understanding. You will be drawn in visually, deepened through experience, and finally arrive at introspection—this flow itself is the essence of this tour. It will be a special day in which you can take home the spirituality of Japanese culture not just as knowledge, but as a "real" experience.

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1

Danjo Garan

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2

Kongobuji Temple

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Okunoin

Oku is the site of the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi Kukai and is one of the two major sacred sites of Koyasan, along with Danjo Garan. It is considered the center of faith at Koyasan. It is believed that Kobo Daishi entered eternal meditation in this place in 853 at the age of 62 and has continued eternal meditation here for 1200 years since then.

The approach to the mausoleum, lined with cedar trees over 700 years old, stretches for approximately 2 kilometers from Ichinohashi Bridge to the mausoleum, and is lined with more than 200,000 memorial towers and tombstones. Here you will find tombstones of people from various social strata, including royalty, feudal lords, literary figures, and commoners, as well as those of Honen, Shinran, Date Kenshin, Oda Nobunaga, Date Masamune, Takeda Shingen, and members of the Toyotomi family. Walking along the approach allows you to feel the history and deep faith of many people.

To visit the inner sanctuary, you cross the first bridge and proceed along the path, admiring the gravestones lining the way. After crossing the middle bridge, passing the Mizumuke Jizo, and crossing the Gobyobashi bridge, you finally enter the sacred area where the mausoleum is located. In the Lantern Hall, which serves as the worship hall for Kobo Daishi's mausoleum, many lanterns are dedicated with prayers, and their light creates a solemn atmosphere. Further on, you will find Kobo Daishi's mausoleum. Here, by quieting your mind and offering a sincere prayer filled with your wishes and gratitude, you may feel the presence of Kobo Daishi close by. When you cross the Gobyobashi bridge again to return, it is believed that Kobo Daishi gently sees off the visitors.

For more information about the tour, please contact us here.

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