Koyasan 'Mt Koya' – How to get there and what to see.

In this Video we look at how to get to Koyasan, what to see and we also look at Temple Visits.

Mount Koya (高野山, Kōyasan) is a temple town in the hills outside of Osaka. You can visit from Osakas Namba station, a train and to Gokurakubashi terminal station and then a cable car and then a bus to the centre of Koyasan .

You can visit Koyasan as a day trip, however if you have the time, we suggest you might look at booking a temple stay.

All of the travel can be booked at the Nankai Railways office in the Namba station itself. Temple stays can be booked Japanican.com (

Koyasan has an interesting history and certainly it is a fascinating place to visit.

We hope you enjoy a quick look at the wonders of Koyosan.

Regarded as a holy mountain Koyosan was established over 1000 years ago by Kukai, (Kobo Daishi) to study Esoteric Buddhism. It quickly became a place of pilgrimage and is now listed as a sacred site on the world heritage list.

The path leading to the Kobodaishi gobyo mausoleum leads the visitor through the Okunoin Cemetery. This is set in a forest of towering Japanese Cedar trees and with over 200,000 gravestones and monuments.

In Shingon Buddhism there are no dead, only waiting spirits. Kobo Daishi who rests in the mausoleum is said to be in a state of meditation, waiting for the Buddha, who he will rise up to greet along with all of the spirits in the Okunoin Cemetery

Many small red hated and clothed figures sit amongst the tombstones and one interpretation is that they represent children and babies who have passed and are their to protect the children on their way to the afterlife. These icons are called Jizos, or Jizo Bosatsu, and also Mizuko Jizos and they can be either male or female they are the guardian of lost souls and travellers. in the cemetery these figures are the protector of children. The caps, scarves and bibs are placed by parents, either mourning a lost child or as an offering thats for one that has been saved. They also represent protection of the children on their way to the afterlife.

There is much more to Koyasan and we will leave you here to find your own path.

Music royalty-free as per Eric Taylor, the author: You may use this piece for anything commercial or non commercial, as long as you credit me as the original author.

Traditional Japanese Music [Royalty Free Ethnic Music Pack]