Buddhism sacred mountain Mt. Koya was forbidden to women until the 19th century. Women were not allowed to enter the sacred place. Even so, women headed for Mt. Koya, walked the pilgrimage route, and finally walked the Women's Pilgrimage Routes to come closer. On this tour, we will walk a part the Women’s Pilgrimage Routes that still remain there, followed by visits to the Danjo Garan Temple Complex, Honzan Headquarters and the Inner Sanctuary Okunoin.
Nankai Koyasan Station or your temple in Mt.Koya, or in Osaka
Women, who were not allowed to enter the sacred site of Mt. Koya, pilgrimed there to walk the Women's Pilgrimage Route which connected women's halls stood at the end of each of the seven pilgrimage routes. We will make a 40-minute pilgrimage from the only remaining women's hall to Daimon Gate following a 2-kilometer mountain trail.
This 25m high wooden gate marks the official entrance to Mt. Koya. Stand inside are two big statues of Nio. They have scary faces. Who is Nio? Why does he look scary? I will explain.
Stand in Danjo Garan are Konpon Fundamental Pagoda, Golden Hall, Shintoism Shrine, Central Gate, West Pagoda, East Pagoda and other important facilities.
High Priest Kukai tried to express the world of mandala by arranging Konpon Fundamental Pagoda in the center and other important temples and pagodas around it. And expressed inside Konpon Fundamental Pagoda is a 3D mandala.
Mandala is a picture which represents the world of Buddhas. I always feel that I am a part of the universe at Danjo Garan. I will tell you why.
Kongobuji was named so by Kukai when it was constructed in 816. Nowadays the Koyasan Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism has about 4000 affiliated temples throughout Japan and overseas and is headquartered here. Buddhist altar rooms and guest rooms in the temple are beautifully decorated and you can feel the profoundness of Buddhism arts. Many of the existing buildings are the reconstruction of 1862.
Mt. Koya is famous for its vegetarian cuisine which is very well known as “shojin ryori”. Sesame tofu which contains a lot of protein is one of the most famous shojin ryori in Mt. Koya.
At the end of the pilgrimage path, beyond the uncountable number of tomb stones, there is a mausoleum of Kukai. People believe that Kukai is still alive here to keep meditating. Why are there so many tombs here? Why does Kukai keep meditating at Okuno-in? I will explain.
Nankai Koyasan Station or your temple in Mt.Koya
guide fee
Insurance
Bus fare in Mt. Koya
Entrance fees
Lunch for guests and guide
As we will walk a lot, comfortable shoes are recommended.
It is cooler in Koyasan than in Osaka by five degrees, be prepared for this cooler weather.
Tours are NOT covered by insurance. Make sure to be covered by your own insurance.
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch are NOT included in the guide fee.
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
Bus ride in Koyasan JPY840 per person plus same amount for guide
Local Buddhists’ Vegetarian Lunch JPY2,700 plus same amount for guide.
I can meet you in downtown Osaka, if you prefer with charge. Ask for details.
I am based in Wakayama and Osaka, but I will guide you around the country upon your requests. However, I will have to ask you to bear my transportation (and accommodation cost, if necessary).
“Fantastic guide!”
Hiro is an amazing guide! He explained everything we saw, helped us to understand much better Japan and its culture. Highly recommend him as a guide, also because of his kind and attentive manners. Fantastic job! Hope to see you again.
Hiroyuki T.
(94 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind words. It was really nice to spend time with you in Koyasan. I was very surprised with your knowledge about the religions in Japan. It's always nice to speak with someone with a lot of knowledge. It was also good to hear that you were in Japan for honey moon. Please come back to my area again, there are a lot more to see here.
Lori ann W.
One day tour to Mt. Koya from Osaka. Be enchanted.
“Serenity in Mount Koya”
We had a lovely day exploring Mount Koya from Osaka. Our guide took great care of us from start to finish. His calm, quiet nature suited this trip. He was able to keep my 15 year old engaged with lots of helpful information. Thank you for a memorable day.
Hiroyuki T.
(94 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind message. It was really nice traveling to Mt. Koya with you. I hope that you liked the tour and the Buddhism sacred site. I also hope that you enjoyed the food in both Mt Koya and Osaka. Thank you again.
Annette H.
Kyoto-WH-Golden Pavilion, Rock Garden and more - from Osaka
“Great day in Kyoto with Hiroyuki”
We had a really great day in Kyoto with Hiroyuki (it was a long day too and we walked over 22,000 steps!). Excellent communication prior to the day, Hiroyuki arranged to meet us at the cruise port in Osaka and customised the itinerary to suit our preferences (including the market and main temples/shrines). He very helpfully suggested we booked tickets in advance for the truly fabulous Miyako Odori Geiko & Maiko show & tea ceremony. I think what made a real difference for us was the excellent information he provided whilst travelling on the train/metro from Osaka Port into Kyoto and during the rest of the day at all the main sights. Basically we had a compact history of Japan, Buddhism, Shinto, wars etc and he answered all our questions very well throughout the day (& showed us how to get metro/train tickets!). Hiroyuki was very kind and patient with us, letting us stroll around the market and stop quite often for photos, taking us to a nice little tea shop for a break, getting taxis between sights where necessary and guiding us through the very busy Gion area. We changed our plans on the day so we could get the bullet train back to Osaka just for the experience and Hiroyuki again helped with getting the tickets and finding the right platform at the enormous station! And escorted us right back to the ship. I honestly don’t think we would have seen or understood nearly as much had we tried to do this independently or in a larger tour group. We would definitely recommend getting a personal guide in this area and would 100% recommend and use Hiroyuki’s services again. Arigato ありがとう
Hiroyuki T.
(94 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind words. I really appreciate your words. ありがとうございます。 You showed a lot of interests and respects to our culture, it is always nice to spend time with people like you. Please come back to Japan again, there are a lot more that I want to show you. Mt.Koya is my most favorite destination. Check it on my page! Have a safe trip. Bon voyage.