Wakayama · Town
Koya
高野町こうやちょうKōya-chōA monastery city on a mountain plateau
Kōya is the mountain town on Kōya-san, a plateau at about 800 metres in the Kii Mountains where Kūkai founded the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism in 816; more than a hundred temples, the vast Okunoin cemetery and some fifty temple lodgings make it one of Japan's great sacred places.
Overview
Kōya-san is not a single peak but a basin-like plateau surrounded by eight summits, which Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) likened to the petals of a lotus. In 816 he received permission from Emperor Saga to establish a centre for esoteric Buddhist practice here, and the monastery grew into a town in which temples, lodgings, shops and homes share the same streets. The town of Kōya is essentially this monastery community.
The town stretches for about four kilometres between the Daimon, the great western gate, and Okunoin, where Kūkai is believed to remain in eternal meditation. Between them lie the Danjō Garan, the ritual centre with the vermilion Konpon Daitō pagoda, and Kongōbu-ji, the head temple of Kōyasan Shingon-shū. Pilgrims have been coming for over a thousand years, and many of Japan's great families – from the Oda and Toyotomi to the Tokugawa and modern companies – have memorials in Okunoin's cedar forest.
Landmarks
- 奥之院Okunoin
Japan's largest cemetery, with over 200,000 graves and memorials along a two-kilometre path through ancient cedars to Kūkai's mausoleum and the Tōrō-dō lantern hall.
- 壇上伽藍Danjō Garan
The sacred precinct laid out by Kūkai, with the Konpon Daitō, the Kondō and the Fudō-dō, a National Treasure.
- 金剛峯寺Kongōbu-ji
Head temple of Kōyasan Shingon-shū, with Kanō-school sliding doors and the Banryū-tei, Japan's largest rock garden.
- 大門Daimon
The great gate at the western entrance, where the Chōishi-michi pilgrim path arrives, facing the sunset.
Reihōkan
霊宝館ReihōkanMuseum of the mountain's treasures, including National Treasure paintings and sculptures.
Nyonin-dō
女人堂Nyonin-dōThe last surviving hall where women prayed when they were barred from entering the mountain.
Tokugawa-ke Reidai
徳川家霊台Tokugawa-ke ReidaiTwin mausoleums of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hidetada, built by the third shogun Iemitsu.
Districts
Okunoin approach
奥之院参道Okunoin sandōThe cemetery path from Ichi-no-hashi bridge through the cedar forest.
Central Kōya
高野山中心部Kōya-san chūshinbuThe main street with Kongōbu-ji, shops selling goma-dōfu and temple lodgings.
Nyonin-dō and Kōya Cable
女人堂Nyonin-dōEastern entrance where the road from Gokurakubashi and the cable car arrives.
Daimon area
大門DaimonWestern end of the town, start of trails to the surrounding peaks.
History
Kūkai founded the monastery in 816 and entered eternal meditation there in 835, according to Shingon belief. In the Heian period Kōya-san became a centre of the belief that Kūkai awaits the coming of the future Buddha Miroku, and aristocrats and later warriors sought burial near him. Wandering holy men (Kōya hijiri) spread the cult across Japan. Kōya-san came to terms with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1585 and received Tokugawa patronage. Women were barred from the mountain until 1872. Kōya became part of the Kii Mountains World Heritage site in 2004.
816
Emperor Saga grants Kūkai the mountain for a monastery.
835
Kūkai enters eternal meditation (nyūjō) at Okunoin, according to Shingon tradition.
921
Kūkai receives the posthumous title Kōbō Daishi.
1593
Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds Seigan-ji, later renamed Kongōbu-ji, in memory of his mother.
1872
The ban on women entering the mountain is lifted.
1937
The Konpon Daitō pagoda is rebuilt after a fire.
2004
Kōya-san is inscribed as part of the Kii Mountains World Heritage site.
2015
The 1,200th anniversary of the founding is celebrated.
Culture
Life on Kōya-san follows the monastic calendar. Guests in the shukubō are invited to morning services with sutra chanting, to fire rituals (goma) and to sessions of ajikan meditation and shakyō sutra copying. Twice daily at Okunoin, monks carry meals to Kūkai's mausoleum in the ritual called Shōjingu. The town is also home to Kōyasan University, the centre of Shingon studies.
Festivals
Aoba Matsuri
青葉まつりAoba Matsuri15 June: celebration of Kūkai's birthday with a procession through the town.
Rōsoku Matsuri
ろうそく祭りRōsoku Matsuri13 August: some 100,000 candles line the Okunoin path for the Obon season.
Shōmi-ku
正御影供ShōmiekuMemorial service on the anniversary of Kūkai's entry into eternal meditation, held in spring.
Food
Shōjin-ryōri
精進料理shōjin-ryōriBuddhist vegetarian meals served in the temple lodgings, based on tofu, vegetables and seasonal mountain plants.
Goma-dōfu
胡麻豆腐goma-dōfuSesame "tofu" set with kuzu starch, the signature dish of Kōya-san.
Kōya-dōfu
高野豆腐Kōya-dōfuFreeze-dried tofu said to have originated from tofu left out in Kōya-san's winter cold.
Yakimochi
焼餅yakimochiGrilled rice cakes filled with sweet bean paste, sold near the Okunoin entrance.
Getting around
- From Osaka-Namba the Nankai Kōya Line runs to Gokurakubashi in about 1 hour 20 minutes by limited express; the Kōyasan cable car then climbs to Kōyasan Station.
- Nankai buses connect Kōyasan Station with the town centre, the Daimon and Okunoin.
- The town itself is walkable; Okunoin to the Daimon is about an hour on foot.
- The Chōishi-michi, the historic 24-kilometre pilgrim path from Kudoyama, is marked by stone posts every 109 metres.
- Winters are cold and snowy; roads can be icy.
Day trips
The mountainous Kohechi route leads from Kōya-san south to Kumano Hongū over three or four days.
Temple at the foot of the mountain, start of the Chōishi-michi path.
Castle city on the coast, via Hashimoto.
About two hours by cable car and Nankai.
Cherry mountain in Nara, reached via Hashimoto.
Other cities in the prefecture
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay overnight at a temple on Kōya-san?
Yes. Around fifty temples offer shukubō accommodation with vegetarian dinner and breakfast and the chance to join the morning service. Advance booking is advisable, especially in autumn.
Is it worth visiting Okunoin at night?
Many visitors walk the cemetery path after dark, when lanterns light the moss-covered graves; some temple lodgings organise guided night walks.
Is Kōya-san cold?
At about 800 metres, it is noticeably cooler than Osaka throughout the year, and winter temperatures fall well below freezing with snow.
Can I take photos at Okunoin?
Photography is allowed along most of the cemetery path, but not beyond the Gobyō-bashi bridge, which marks the sacred area around Kūkai's mausoleum.
Why is the town listed as "Koya" but called Kōya-san?
Kōya-san is the name of the mountain and its monastery; the municipality covering it is the town of Kōya (Kōya-chō) in Ito District.
Related
Sources
- 1.令和2年国勢調査 (opens in a new tab) — Statistics Bureau of Japan
- 2.高野山真言宗 総本山金剛峯寺 (opens in a new tab) — 金剛峯寺
- 3.Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 4.高野町ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 高野町