Palisade of grave markers in Okunoin Cemetery, Mt. Koya
The mountain is home to the following famous sites:
To the east of town is Oku-no-In (奥の院), the mausoleum of Kukai, lit by thousands of lanterns. According to tradition, the lights have been lit since Kukai's death over 1000 years ago.
The mausoleum is surrounded by an atmospheric and immense graveyard, set among giant cedar trees with winding paths throughput. Particularly interesting are the many fanciful gravestones, including giant spaceships and cups erected respectively by an astronautical and coffee company, and a monument erected by a pesticide company to commemorate all its insect victims.
The Garan (伽藍) is a temple complex designed by Kukai on the western side of town. In its center is the Konpon Dait? (根本大塔) pagoda, which according to Shingon doctrine represents the central point of a mandala covering not only Mt. Koya but all of Japan.
Kong?bu-ji Temple (金剛峯寺) is the sprawling yet atmospheric headquarters of the Shingon sect, with a stone garden that outclasses many of Kyoto's best. Entry �500, including a rice cracker and a cup of tea.
Most (if not all) sights close at 5 pm, so there's only little to do in the evening unless you are staying in a temple.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Mount Koya
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Mount Koya - updated May 2024
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Mount Koya Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
