WHS#81

Pilgrimage seems to be a widespread phenomenon around the world. I've been to enough pilgrimage destinations in Europe and the Levant to get the feel of it. It can be crazy how far pilgrims back in the day would go to see these holy sites, but look at us travelers now. My personal favorite until recently was probably Lourdes in France, mostly for the unique bathing experience it offers and the overall holy atmosphere of the site, even in comparison to sites in the Holy Land. Until I visited the Kii Mountains, that is. I visited Koyasan in December 2019, and it had snowed hard the night before, resulting in one of the most surreal sights I have ever seen. Coming from the Philippines, I will never turn down a chance to play in snow, and its presence on the roofs and yards of temples made this pilgrimage town so much more beautiful. I made use of the Koyasan World Heritage Pass for this day trip, though it's valid for 2 days. It can be purchased in Tengachaya Station, which was a few minutes from my accommodation and therefore, quite convenient. In other cases, it can also be bought in Shin-Imamiya and Namba closer to the city center of Osaka, as well as in Hashimoto for a lower price. It's definitely convenient and recommendable. Anyway, it generally takes 1.5-2 hours to get to the Koyasan station where you can take a bus to your destinations. 

First stop was Okunoin, the cemetery that formed to follow in the footsteps of Kobo Daishi. He's probably the most important figure in the story of Koyasan, so take note of him. There are 2 entrances - a farther traditional one and a closer more modern one. I intended to enter through Ichinohashi, the traditional entrance, but it was blocked off, so I had fun taking pictures of the old tombstones and the more recent-looking wooden temple next door, which looked absolutely stunning coated in snow. Then, I proceeded to the modern entrance. The first area of tombs is the modern area - Nissan, UCC, a rocket, and a Hachiko-esque dog statue starring. There's also a Shinto shrine across the stream, its bright hot orange in beautiful contrast with the cold white snow. It was winter wonderland. There's also the path that joins the old route from Ichinohashi - the ancient cemetery. Here, the towering cedar and pine lined the path. The tombs here were clearly much older, taking the shapes of stelae and pagodas. Some Buddhas are present too. Finally, I reached the Gokusho Hall, a pretty wooden temple building with colorful cloths hanging from the roof. After crossing the bridge here, it was sacred ground, off-limits for pictures, but it seems to be a rule not strictly-enforced. Even I'll plead guilty to a few snaps there; it's full of beautiful scenes and many more interesting tombstones and statues. At the end of the path is the Torodo Hall, the main worship place of Okunoin and home to a few monks. The mausoleum of Kobo Daishi himself is behind the Torodo, and it seems it can't be entered, which is probably for the better, considering the unenforcement of rules in the holy area. Even with the lack of pilgrims in cold December, it's not hard to feel the pilgrim spirit in a site like this. It's a tranquil place with a unique charm. I mean, what other cemetery offers night tours?

In the town center, I decided to try the vegetarian Buddhist cuisine. The different types of tofu are indeed exquisite. Food is just another facet in the jewel that is Koyasan; you really feel the character of this pilgrimage town. But I must continue to what was to become my favorite temple of all that I've visited in Japan: Kongobuji. Just a few minutes' walk from Senjuinbashi Intersection, considered the very center of the town, Kongobuji's gate is a few steps up from the street. From walking through the gate, I could tell this was gonna be a rich temple. This is the head temple of Kobo Daishi's Shingon Buddhism, and it feels like my temple run has come to a head. The embellishments on the facade even seem a bit more intricate than any other temple. I entered to find that this feeling was right as I laid my eyes on the colorful sliding doors of the different rooms. Clouds, cranes, willows, sakura, and the imperial palace in Chang'an all make impressive appearances here. They were quite comparable to the Ninomaru sliding doors in quality and beauty. However, my favorite part is outside the doors. Banryutei is the largest rock garden in Japan, and it may just be the most beautiful. Except it snowed. I had read of experiences of the garden being ruined by snowfall covering everything, but nothing prepared me for the surprise waiting for me. The snow formed a layer over the sand, just thick enough to color the ground white and thin enough to follow the raked designs on the sand. It looked as if the snow had been carefully raked to complement the jagged granite rocks. And with the bright orange autumn leaves on the trees, the picture was just perfect. I took my time on the wooden walkways, admiring the sight from every angle before continuing on to the ret of the temple. A great stop was the most recent hall, Shinbetsuden, not just because of its few Buddhist artworks, but mostly for the friendly women who offered the weary traveler a cracker and a cup of hot green tea. What a welcome it must have been for the pilgrim I saw making his way through the temple on his knees!

Lastly, I made a quick stop to check out the Danjo Garan. Unfortunately, its buildings have mostly been reconstructed less than a century ago, but it’s still a surprisingly diverse and interesting set of halls. Konpon Daito Pagoda was definitely the highlight, notable for its distinct shape and brightly colored interior. Round red columns surround huge golden Buddha statues sitting in the middle of the hall inside the pagoda, while bright paintings color the columns and walls. The Kondo was much more subdued, not unlike what I had seen in Nara and Kyoto. Overall, the Garan was the least of the 3 “highlights” of Koyasan, but it was indeed the most important in the story of its establishment. Now as the daylight ran out, walked to the bus stop, noticing just how quiet the town had become. Everyone was in their house, or their temple. It was then that I realized the essence of just how remarkable this little town of great temples really is.

Everything revolves around the temples, whether it’s the food, lifestyle, art, business, or traditions. And each little temple is a historic, cultural, and architectural gem. At least, each one I randomly walked into from the street was. Still, the beautiful landscape of the Kii Mountains is a major element in the significance of the fusion of native Shintoism and Shingon Buddhism. Ultimately, Koyasan was one of the greatest little towns I ever got to visit, even for just a day, because for me, it is the epitome of a pilgrimage destination. Sure, I’ll admit that the snow may have something to do with that preference, but I couldn’t help but embrace its uniqueness regardless of the snow. It’s worth the journey, whether you crawl on your knees up the cedar-forested slopes or purchase a World Heritage Pass from Osaka, to see the great sites of Okunoin and Kongobuji, and to experience the culture of pilgrimage in the Kii Mountains. I hope to visit more of the site next time, especially to hike the pilgrimage routes myself and to see Yoshino in sakura season. Until then, I’m more than honored to have experienced this great town of temples, and I encourage anyone to make the journey to experience Koyasan and see it for the value it truly holds. But if possible, go in the winter. It’s magical, you won’t regret it.