Okunoin

Oku is where the tomb of Kobo Daishi Kukai is located, and is one of the two major sacred places of Mount Koya along with Danjo Garan. It is considered the center of faith in Mount Koya. Kobo Daishi entered nirvana at the age of 62 in 853, and it is believed that he has been in eternal meditation here for 1,200 years since then. The approach to the shrine, lined with cedar trees over 700 years old, stretches for about 2 kilometers from Ichinohashi to the shrine, and is lined with more than 200,000 memorial towers and gravestones. The gravestones here are of people from all walks of life, including members of the imperial family, feudal lords, writers, and commoners, including those of Honen, Shinran, Uesugi Kenshin, Date Nobunaga, Date Masamune, Takeda Shingen, and members of the Toyotomi clan. Walking along the approach to the shrine, you can get a sense of the history and deep faith of the many people who have lived there.