Koyasan is one of the most sacred places in Japan. Located in Wakayama prefecture, less than two hours from Osaka, Koyasan makes for a spiritual getaway. Here is everything you need to know before visiting Koyasan.
Japan is filled with ancient and spiritual history. But there probably isn’t a place as sacred, enriching and close to disconnecting from the busy cities as Koyasan. Only a couple of hours away from Osaka, it makes for the perfect overnight stay off the main tourist tracks.
Koyasan is seeped in history and spirituality. It is the centre of Shingon Buddhism, home to the largest cemetery in Japan and the place where Kobo Daishi entered his eternal meditation nearly 1,200 years ago.
Another thing that has put Koyasan on the map for travellers is that it’s one of the best places in Japan to stay overnight in a Buddhist temple. Nearly half of the active temples in Koyasan offer this – and I was lucky enough to experience this too.
Staying overnight in Koyasan has been one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in Japan. In this guide, I’ll show you what you can experience in Koyasan, so you can feel the importance of this sacred town and make the most of your time here.
* We were invited to come and stay in Koyasan by Visit Wakayama as a press stay. All views are my own.
Why Visit Koyasan – Brief History
Before we dive into the best things to do in Koyasan, I want to share some information about the importance of the town and its history.
Koyasan was founded by Priest Kukai (also known as Kobo Daishi) over 1,200 years ago. He studied Buddhism in China and returned to Japan a couple of years later to spread Shingon Esoteric Buddhism. In Koyasan, he established the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism in Japan.
The town is located at an elevation of around 900 meters, and it’s said that Kobo Daishi picked this place because of the surrounding eight mountain peaks. They resemble the Buddhist symbol of the lotus plant. On top of that, it provides a place away from distractions – the perfect place for monks to practice Shingon Buddhism and pray.
Koyasan is also home to the largest cemetery in Japan, Okunoin, which has over 200,000 gravestones. At the end of the cemetery, you can find Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum. It’s believed that instead of passing away, Kobo Daishi sits here in eternal meditation. For over 1,000 years, monks have been bringing breakfast and dinner to his mausoleum every single day.
In 2004, the town gained World Heritage status by UNESCO. But it’s more than just a place for sightseeing, it’s a place where you can fully immerse yourself in Shingon Buddism and the daily lives of the monks.
During the Edo Period, Koyasan housed over 2,000 temples – which is surprising, seeing that the town itself is only two by three kilometres big. Today, Koyasan is still an important Buddhist centre, with 117 active temples. Over 50 of them offer a truly unique experience: Shukubo (an overnight stay in a Buddhist temple).
While there are other places in Japan where it’s possible to stay overnight in a Buddhist temple, Koyasan is particularly famous for it. Because there are so many temples you can stay at, and since many of them are foreigner-friendly (easy to book on websites like Booking.com and have English-speaking staff), it offers the perfect opportunity to experience something like this.
My overnight stay in Koyasan was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in Japan. Tons of research has gone into this article, along with input from the tourism board – so I’m very excited to share the best things to do in Koyasan below. Hopefully, it’ll help you plan your trip there!
Best Things to Do in Koyasan
Here are the best things to add to your Koyasan itinerary:
1. Stay Overnight in a Buddhist Temple
Shukubo, or temple stay, is one of the best things to do in Koyasan. While it’s possible to do this in other parts of Japan, Koyasan is the best place for it. Of 117 Koyasan temples, 52 offer this service (also known as Shukubo).
When staying overnight at a Buddhist temple, you get way more than just a room. You get to join the monks in their daily activities (such as an evening meditation and morning chanting or fire ceremony) and taste the traditional cuisine: Shojin Ryori. Every temple is different and has its own ceremonies and traditions.
During my visit to Koyasan, I stayed at Rengejoin – a temple that has been offering lodging to pilgrims and travellers for centuries. Visit Wakayama booked us the Royal Suite, which included a beautiful tatami living room, a separate bedroom with two Western beds and a bathroom looking out over the temple garden. It’s one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever stayed in!
As part of my stay at Rengejoin, I attend their evening Ajikan meditation session and the morning Sutra ceremony. Dinner and breakfast were both included too, in authentic Buddhist Shojin Ryori style – it was incredible. I’ll go into more detail about what Shojin Ryori is and why it’s so special a bit further down this article.
Please note that credit cards aren’t widely accepted in Koyasan. It’s best to bring cash to pay at temples and shops.
2. Visit Okunoin, Japan’s Largest Cemetery
Okunoin is probably the most famous sight in the whole of Koyasan. Not only is this the largest cemetery in Japan, but it’s also where Kobo Daishi is believed to remain in eternal meditation.
The cemetery sits in a forest filled with tall cedar trees, towering over 200,000+ gravestones. The stone path leads you from the cemetery entrance to Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum.
Walking among the towering trees while passing old gravestones covered in moss can only be described as peaceful. Okunoin is one of the most beautiful and serene places I’ve been to in the world. Just for this, it’s worth making the trip to Koyasan.
Okunoin is the final resting place for many famous names, but it’s important to note that anybody can be buried here. You don’t even have to be a Buddhist! To be buried in Okunoin, you’ll have to pay a fee to one of the temples to secure a spot in their part of the cemetery. Since the cemetery is so famous, the fees can run up quite high, especially if you want a good spot.
The monk who guided us through the cemetery (we did a night tour, more info on this below!), told us that many graves here only contain the neckbone of the person buried here. The other remains are kept in a shrine closer to their families.
The path in the cemetery is around two kilometres long and takes you across three bridges towards the end of the cemetery. Here is where you can find Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum.
Before the last bridge, you’ll see a row of Buddha statues. Before crossing the bridge, it’s customary to pick one and throw some water on them. In the past, the bridge didn’t used to be there. People would cleanse themselves in the river before entering the sacred grounds. Nowadays, you can imagine cleaning yourself while “washing” the Buddha statue.
Before crossing the bridge, also make sure to bow – you are about to enter sacred ground.
Shoujingu Ceremony
When planning your visit to Okunoin, you’ll want to try and be at Gobyo-bashi Bridge at either 6AM or 10:30AM to witness the Shoujingu Morning Ceremony. Most temple stays have morning ceremonies at 6AM, including Rengeojin (where I stayed), so I made sure I was at Okunoin for 10:30AM.
As part of a long-standing ritual, the monks of Koyasan have been bringing Kobo Daishi breakfast and lunch every single day for over 1,000 years – no matter the weather. You can watch the monks carry the food over Gobyo-bashi Bridge towards Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum.
Having read so much about Shingon Buddhism before my Koyasan trip and having just spent the night at a temple, watching the monks carry the food across the bridge felt very special. Make sure you get there on time!
Please note that you are NOT allowed to take any photos or videos after crossing Gobyo-bashi Bridge. You should also not eat or drink after crossing the bridge, and it’s also best to take off your hat.
Torodo Hall
Beyond Gobyo-bashi Bridge lays Torodo Hall. It was built in front of Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum – inside, you can find thousands of burning lanterns. The lanterns are donated by people and are lit for eternity.
As you’re not allowed to take any photos inside (or after crossing the bridge), I’ll leave this up to your imagination until you visit it yourself. It is very impressive!
Company Gravestones
While walking through the cemetery, one particular thing caught my attention – the company gravestones. In the newer parts of the cemetery, you can find gravestones for large corporations, including Panasonic, Nissan and Yakult.
Companies have paid to have these put here to commemorate ex-employees who have passed away in their retirement or workers who passed away while working for them. It’s a way to honour those who helped shape the company.
Some other gravestones in the cemetery are similar to this. The one pictured below is a tombstone dedicated to termites – from a company that deals with pest control.
3. Take a Night Tour of Okunoin
If you’re staying overnight in Koyasan, taking a night tour of Okunoin is something I would highly recommend. Even if you’ve already visited the cemetery during the day or are planning to visit it the next day, going on a night tour adds so much extra to your time in Koyasan.
At night, Okunoin’s lanterns are lit up, creating a unique view of an already impressive sight. It’s quiet and you can even hear the flying squirrels making noises if you’re lucky.
The tour starts at 7PM, right after dinner at your temple stay. You’ll be guided through the cemetery by one of Koyasan’s monks. Our guide became a monk just five years ago and was very open about his life as a monk and his decision to move to Koyasan. We could ask him anything and he gladly answered all our questions.
On top of that, a guided tour through Okunoin is the perfect way to learn even more about Shingon Buddhism and the importance of this cemetery. We were taught certain legends about the cemetery, what certain tombstones meant and more information about Kobo Daishi’s life (did you know he’s said to have invented Hiragana?).
At the end of the tour, in front of Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum, the monk said a special heart sutra for us. Not long after, it started to snow. It made braving the cold in February more than worth it – it felt almost magical in a place like this.
The tour guide makes sure you get back to your temple before curfew. The temple we were staying in (Rengejoin) is one of the furthest temples from Okunoin and we got back right in time. With enough time for a hot bath before heading to bed.
It’s best to pre-book the night tour as they have a limit of 35 guests per tour. You can do this on their official website.
4. Enjoy a Traditional Shojin Ryori Meal
When staying in a Buddhist temple in Koyasan, dinner and breakfast are included. And since you’ll be living with the monks for the day, you’ll also get to join them in their traditional cuisine: Shojin Ryori.
Buddhist cooking is fully vegetarian, but Shojin Ryori is more than that. Shojin Ryori can also be enjoyed by vegans, as no animal products are used at all – it shows the Buddhist way of honouring all life. No ingredients with overwhelming flavours can be used either, including garlic.
All meals are vegan and focus on five flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami), five cooking methods (raw, baked, fried, boiled and steamed) and five colours (red, blue, black, yellow, and white).
It aims to show all the individual ingredients at their very best. The way these dishes are prepared shows the essence of each ingredient, and it’s put together beautifully. It looks like a piece of art.
What ingredients are used Shojin Ryori changes throughout the year. Only seasonable vegetables and mountain plants are used.
I was lucky enough to have dinner and breakfast at Rengejoin and it was some of the best vegan food I have ever had. Dishes included soups, freshly cut vegetables, different types of tofu and vegetable tempura.
There were so many dishes to enjoy, each of them put together with extraordinary care. Every single thing I tasted brought so much flavour with it – it was delicious (and very healthy!).
If you’re not staying overnight at a temple but would still like to try a traditional Shojin Ryori meal, you can visit the following restaurants: Hanabishi or Chuoshokudo Sanbo. Or you can make a lunch reservation at one of the temples that offer a lunch menu, including Eko-in.
Try Goma-Tofu for Lunch
Guma tofu (or sesame tofu) plays a big part in Shojin Ryori meals, and one restaurant specialises in this dish: Kadohama Goma-tofu honpo.
During our overnight stay in Koyasan, we had lunch here and it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. The dishes were put together so beautifully, and it’s a great way to try this special type of tofu if you’re on a day trip to Koyasan or looking for a place for lunch before or after your temple stay.
5. Walk Through the Daimon Gate
On the West side of Koyasan, you can find the Daimon Gate. This is the official entrance of Koyasan. At 25 meters high, it’s quite an impressive sight to see. There are some stunning views of the Wakayama mountains nearby too – in the evening, you can be treated to beautiful sunsets here.
Two statues stand inside the gate, protecting Koyasan. It’s a great start to your Koyasan itinerary, as you can easily make your way from this side of the town to Okonoin, which lies on the far East side. Koyasan itself isn’t very large, so you can easily explore it on foot.
6. Visit Kongobuji Temple
If you’re only planning on going inside one temple during your stay here, it should be Kongobuji. This is the head temple in Koyasan. The name Kongobuji used to be the general name for the whole of Koyasan. Kobo Daishi named it after the Sutra “Kongobu-rokaku-issai-yuga-yugi kyo”.
While the building itself has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, it is beautiful to walk through. The painted sliding doors are works of art, and you can also find Japan’s largest rock garden (Banryutei) here.
If you’re planning to visit multiple sights in Koyasan, you may want to consider buying the combination ticket. It costs 2,500 yen and includes access to Kongobuji Temple, Daishi Kyokai, Konpon Daito, Kondo, Tokugawa Mausoleum and Reihokan Museum.
7. Explore the Danjo Garan Complex
Aside from Okunoin, the Danjo Garan Complex is the most important area in Koyasan. When Kobo Daishi founded Koyasan, this is where he built the learning centre for Shingon esoteric Buddhism. It’s still active today.
There are eight buildings in the complex, Konpon Daito being the most famous one. This 49-metre-tall vermilion pagoda is one of the most iconic buildings in Koyasan. It’s worth going inside as its interior is even more beautiful.
Other important buildings you can find here include the Kondo (Golden Hall) and Miedo (Portrait Hall). You can easily spend an hour exploring the grounds.
If you’d like to learn more about the sights in Koyasan, you can rent an audio guide from the Koyasan Central Tourist Information Centre. It only costs 500 yen and can be returned the next morning. Perfect for an overnight stay!
8. Go to the Reihokan Museum
Due to many fires in Koyasan over the centuries, many works of art and treasures have been lost. This museum was founded in 1921, as a place to hold the most important pieces of art save. You can find over 78,000 pieces here, 21 of which are National Treasures.
9. Visit the Tokugawa Reidai (Mausoleum)
The third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, built this mausoleum in 1643 for his father and grandfather. He wanted it to be close to Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum, the reason he picked Koyasan.
You can find two identical buildings here, one for Iemitsu’s father and one for his grandfather. They look very similar to the heavily decorated Toshogu Shrine in Nikko – where you can find Tokugawa Ieyasu’s mausoleum.
The buildings are beautiful and definitely worth a visit. The temple we stayed in, Rengejoin, is located right next to the Tokugawa Mausoleum – making it the perfect spot to visit in the morning before heading to Okunoin.
How to Get to Koyasan from Osaka
It’s very easy to get to Koyasan from Osaka. You can use the Nankai Railway line from Namba or Shin-Imamiya Station in Osaka to get to Gokurakubashi Station. The Express or Rapid Express train will get you there in around 90–100 minutes. While the Limited Express line will get you there in around 80 (this line costs extra).
From Gokurakubashi Station, you can transfer to the cable car that will take you up Mount Koya. It only takes about five minutes. From here, you can get on the bus that will take you to the town centre.
The scenic train ride to Koyasan from Osaka is something to be fully enjoyed. The train slowly climbs the mountain through dense forests and small villages, giving you a stunning view of the Wakayama mountainscape. Even though the journey took over 1.5 hours, it flew by with views like these.
To save money, you can look into getting the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket (we did!). It includes a return ticket from Osaka to Koyasan (including the cable car), unlimited bus travel in Koyasan and some extra discounts. Since a return ticket from Osaka to Koyasan already costs more than the Heritage Ticket, it’s 100% worth getting.
How to Get Around Koyasan
Koyasan is quite small. The whole town is around two by three kilometres big. And since the streets are pretty flat, it’s easy to walk around the town centre. We walked to most of the sights during our overnight stay here. However, since it was February (and pretty cold!), the buses were a great alternative to walking.
Three bus lines connect all parts of the town. From Koyasan Station, one bus line reaches to Okunoin, while another line can take you to the Daimon Gate. The third bus line connects Okunoin with the Daimon Gate.
If you have the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket, you can use all buses for free. Simply scan it at the front of the bus when getting off.
Is Koyasan Worth Visiting?
If you’re interested in history and spirituality, Koyasan is definitely worth visiting. From Osaka, Koyasan is pretty easy to get to in under two hours. The town is filled with history and is one of the best places in Japan to stay overnight in an active Buddhist temple.
Okunoin is one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited, and the unique experience of staying with the monks in a temple will stay with me for years to come.
However, before visiting Koyasan, I do think it’s important to read up about the town’s history, Kobo Daishi and Shingon Buddhism (hopefully, this article has helped so far!). Without knowing some of the basic information, visiting the temples and cemetery in Koyasan may not be as impactful as it could be.
I put a lot of research into visiting places when I write about them, and Koyasan was no exception. While knowing more about the places you visit always helps enhance the experience, I think knowing more about Koyasan before my stay here made an even bigger difference than I expected.
Adding the night tour of Okunoin to your Koyasan itinerary is also something I would highly recommend. The monk who guided us through the cemetery told us so many incredible stories – I learned so many things I wasn’t able to find online or read in guidebooks.
How Much Time Should You Spend in Koyasan?
To fully experience Koyasan, it’s best to stay at least one night. This gives you a chance to stay overnight in a Buddhist temple, get a glimpse of the daily lives of the monks and have enough time to visit Okunoin and other famous sights without having to rush.
Staying overnight also gives you a chance to join the Okunoin night tour – one of the best things I did during my stay in Koyasan.
When staying overnight in Koyasan, it’s best to leave your big luggage in Osaka if possible. You can do this at a luggage locker at the station for a few hundred yen.
While you can often drop off your luggage at the temple before check-in time, getting to Koyasan with luggage and making your way to the temple on the bus can be a huge struggle. Save yourself (and others on public transport) the hassle and take a backpack with your overnight essentials instead!
Seeing all the sights in Koyasan (Okunoin and the main temples) takes around four to five hours. So it’s possible to do it as a day trip, but you’d be missing out on the temple stay (Shukubo), which is what makes a trip to Koyasan so special.
Can You Do a Day Trip to Koyasan?
From Osaka, it takes under two hours to get to Koyasan. And since it only really takes around four to five hours to see all the main sights in Koyasan, visiting on a day trip is possible. However, taking a day trip to Koyasan means you’d miss out on one of the best things to do in Koyasan: staying at a Buddhist temple (or Shukubo).
Shukubo is the best way to fully enjoy Koyasan. You can enjoy temple stays in other places in Japan, but Koyasan is by far the best and easiest place to do so. It made the whole visit so unique and special to me – and it’s something I’d highly recommend.
But I understand that it’s not always possible depending on your budget and itinerary.
When deciding whether or not to add Koyasan to your Japan itinerary (as a day trip or not), you have to think about your interests. Personally, I’m a big fan of the spiritual side of Japan and having visited Japan multiple times, I’m on the outlook for things to do in Japan off the main touristy tracks. Koyasan fits this perfectly!
Either way, Okunoin during the day has been one of my favourite sights in Japan. And even though I did stay overnight in one of Koyasan’s temples, I still think I would’ve enjoyed visiting the town on a day trip if that would’ve worked better for my schedule. Plus, with the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket, you can easily make your way here and back.
Conclusion – Best Things to Do in Koyasan
Visiting Koyasan was such a treat, and I hope that this guide has helped you prepare for your own visit too. Enjoying a stay at the Buddhist temple, learning more about Shingon Buddhism and walking through Japan’s largest cemetery at night are experiences that I will never forget.
I was very impressed by this beautiful town, and I hope to return in the future for another stay. Hopefully during Autumn, as the Visit Wakayama representative told me it’s the best time to visit – especially with the beautiful maple trees turning orange and red.
If you’ve visited Koyasan before or are planning to visit it soon, I’d love to hear from you in the comments or my Japan Facebook Group!