Koyasan Photo Gallery

Koyasan was founded 1200 years ago for religious use. Since then, it has become a major pilgrimmage destination and a feasible day trip from Osaka.
The trip from Osaka consists of a train ride, possibly a change in trains, followed by the cable car from the Nankai Koya Line's final stop at Gokurakubashi. You will climb to 867m above sea level to reach Koyasan.
Koyasan's historical town centre is only accessibly by bus from the cable car station as pedestrians are not allowed on the winding access road.
The first stop is the furthest away. Okunoin is a huge cemetery of over 200,000 stones set in a dark forest. A bit creepy even on a sunny day, there are many interesting memorials built by corporations and families alike.
There are 2 approaches into the main mauseoleum - the sunny shorter approach, and the longer road through the forest. This is the shorter one, which is exposed to the day's brilliant sun.
After visiting the mauseoleum, where photo-taking is not allowed, I walked back out along the 2km Sando approach.
Huge trees keep the paths shaded and dark.
This memorial is dedicated to those seeking beauty.
Although I have a pass that covers the town's buses, I decided to walk back to the town centre to observe some of the nice temple architecture along the way.
Kongobuji is the headquarters of a Buddhist sect with more than 10 million followers and 4000 temples.
The sand carvings in these Japanese gardens are exquisite and extensive. Visitors also get to try a free cup of tea and biscuit to refresh themselves.
Lunch is served - a healthy soba noodle of vegetables and a local tofu favourite.
Further west from Kongobuji is Danjo Garan, a religious area consisting of many buildings. Here is the main hall - the Kondo, which is used for Buddhist ceremonies. The current building is a reconstruction from 1932.
The Konpon Daito (Great Stupa) is a 48m high pagoda dedicated to the Shingon sect of Buddhism. However, the structure is a reconstruction from 1937 after a fire destroyed the old one.
The Miedo dates from 1847 and features a sloping roof with long eaves.
Standing at 25m tall, the Daimon was built in 1705 and marks the western entrance to town.
The Kongo Sanmai-in is a bit off the main road. The long walk is worth it to see the pagoda that was built in 1223.
With daylight fading, I hoped to make it to one last destination before leaving town. Unfortunately, the Tokugawa Mausoleum also closed early. Built in 1643, this place actually holds 2 mausoleums. So I wandered around nearby buildings to await the next bus.
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