Daishi Kyokai

Daishi Kyokai (‘åŽt‹³‰ï, Daishi Kyōkai) is the administrative center of Shingon Buddhism, and is responsible for spreading the teachings of Kobo Daishi, the sect's founder. The complex consists of two buildings: Henjoden, a traditional temple hall, that was built in 1915 and is dedicated to Kobo Daishi, and a modern building for administration, lectures and training. An English information desk is available in this building.
Visitors can participate in a few activities at Daishi Kyokai, such as receiving Buddhist precepts (jukai) or copying Buddhist scriptures (shakyo). No advance reservations are required.
Jukai is a formal ceremony administered to Buddhist laypeople; however, anyone may receive jukai and participation does not make you Buddhist unless you wish to become so. Jukai takes place in a very dark room adjacent to the Henjoden's main hall, where participants sit on the tatami floor and recite after a priest. During the ceremony they repent all their past misdeeds, take refuge in the Buddha, and repeat the Ten Wholesome Precepts, a Buddhist moral code. The whole ceremony takes about 30 minutes and visitors receive a certificate at the end acknowledging their participation.
Daishi Kyokai also offers sutra copying (shakyo) which has long been practiced as a form of meditation and devotional act. Participants are given a sheet of paper with the popular Heart Sutra lightly printed on it. You then trace over the kanji characters with a brush pen.

Getting there and around
Daishi Kyokai stands in Koyasan's town center, a five minute walk from the Senjuinbashi intersection and just a few steps from the Garan and Kongobuji Temple.
How to get to and around Koyasan

Hours and Fees
Hours
Closed
Admission
Jukai (Receiving Buddhist Precepts)
Hours
Admission
2500 yen (combination ticket that includes the jukai ceremony and admission to various other sights on Koyasan)
Questions? Ask in our forum.
Links and Resources
Hotels around Mount Koya
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Koyasan Guest House TommyKoyasan Guest House Tommy provides free WiFithroughout the property and rooms with air conditioning in Koyasan. This 1-star guest house offers luggage storage space and bicycle parking. The guest house features family rooms. At the guest house, each room comes with a desk, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. Guest rooms will provide guests with a fridge. An American breakfast is available daily at Koyasan Guest House Tommy. Tama Museum is 38 km from the accommodation, while Kishi Station is 38 km away. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 61 km from Koyasan Guest House Tommy.View on Booking.com
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Guest House hachi hachiFeaturing 1-star accommodation, Guest House hachi hachi is situated in Koyasan, 37 km from Tama Museum and 37 km from Kishi Station. The 1-star guest house has air-conditioned rooms with a shared bathroom and free WiFi. The property is non-smoking and is set 43 km from Matsushita Park. At the guest house, rooms come with a desk. The rooms have a tatami. Guests at Guest House hachi hachi can enjoy a continental breakfast. Itakiso Shrine is 43 km from the accommodation, while Jodo-ji Temple is 44 km from the property. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 60 km from Guest House hachi hachi.View on Booking.com
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Koyasan Syukubo Ekoin TempleA 1000 year-old Buddhist temple, Shukubo Koya-san Eko-in offers Japanese-style accommodation, a beautiful garden and free WiFi. Guests are free to attend Buddhist morning services, the Goma fire ritual and meditation. Rooms feature tatami-mat flooring, comfortable futon bedding and paper sliding screens. They are fitted with an LCD TV and a safe. Bathroom facilities are shared, and the public baths are open 16:00-22:00 and 06:00-09:00 daily. Shukubo Temple is close to other ancient Buddhist buildings such as Kongobu-ji Temple, which is a 10-minute walk. The Ichi-no-Hashi entrance to the ancient Okuno-In Temple is a 3-minute walk away. Guests can experience group meditation, and they can write Buddhist texts with a brush and ink on scrolls at their room. They can also go hiking in the scenic surroundings of Koya-san Eko-in. The temple has a lounge with a PC corner. Meals are served at the guest room at scheduled times and feature Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, and gluten-free meals can be requested at an additional fee. Groups of 4 or more persons dine at the Japanese-style dining room, where chairs can be provided upon advance request.View on Booking.com
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Guest House Suzumeno KakuremboFeaturing 2-star accommodation, Guest House Suzumeno Kakurembo is located in Koyasan, 37 km from Kishi Station and 44 km from Matsushita Park. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, full-day security and luggage storage space, along with free WiFi. The property is non-smoking and is set 37 km from Tama Museum. Guests at the guest house will be able to enjoy activities in and around Koyasan, like hiking. Itakiso Shrine is 44 km from Guest House Suzumeno Kakurembo, while Jodo-ji Temple is 44 km away. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 60 km from the accommodation.View on Booking.com
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Koyasan Shukubo RyuseninFeaturing 3-star accommodation, Koyasan Shukubo Ryusenin is situated in Koyasan, 39 km from Kishi Station and 45 km from Matsushita Park. Featuring a garden, the 3-star ryokan has air-conditioned rooms with a shared bathroom. The property is non-smoking and is set 39 km from Tama Museum. All guest rooms in the ryokan are fitted with a flat-screen TV and slippers. Guests at Koyasan Shukubo Ryusenin can enjoy a vegetarian breakfast. Itakiso Shrine is 45 km from the accommodation, while Jodo-ji Temple is 45 km from the property. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 62 km from Koyasan Shukubo Ryusenin.View on Booking.com
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‚–ìŽR ^“c–V ˜@‰Ø’è‰@ RengejoinSituated in Koyasan, within 39 km of Tama Museum and 39 km of Kishi Station, ‚–ìŽR ^“c–V ˜@‰Ø’è‰@ Rengejoin features accommodation with a garden and free WiFithroughout the property as well as free private parking for guests who drive. This 4-star ryokan offers luggage storage space. Matsushita Park is 46 km from the ryokan and Itakiso Shrine is 46 km away. An Asian breakfast is available each morning at the ryokan. ‚–ìŽR ^“c–V ˜@‰Ø’è‰@ Rengejoin offers 4-star accommodation with a public bath. Jodo-ji Temple is 46 km from the accommodation, while Shipporyu-ji Temple is 46 km from the property. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 62 km from ‚–ìŽR ^“c–V ˜@‰Ø’è‰@ Rengejoin.View on Booking.com
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Koyasan Shukubo FudoinLocated in Koyasan, within 39 km of Tama Museum and 39 km of Kishi Station, Koyasan Shukubo Fudoin provides accommodation with a garden and as well as free private parking for guests who drive. This 3-star ryokan offers luggage storage space. The ryokan features family rooms. At the ryokan, each room includes a wardrobe. Each room comes with air conditioning, a safety deposit box and a flat-screen TV, and certain rooms at Koyasan Shukubo Fudoin have a balcony. At the accommodation all rooms have bed linen and towels. A vegetarian breakfast is available daily at Koyasan Shukubo Fudoin. The ryokan offers 3-star accommodation with a public bath. Matsushita Park is 45 km from Koyasan Shukubo Fudoin, while Itakiso Shrine is 45 km away. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 62 km from the accommodation.View on Booking.com
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Koyasan Shukubo FumoninSituated in Koyasan, within 38 km of Tama Museum and 38 km of Kishi Station, Koyasan Shukubo Fumonin features accommodation with a garden and as well as free private parking for guests who drive. This 3-star ryokan offers a lift and a shared lounge. The ryokan has family rooms. All units in the ryokan are fitted with a flat-screen TV. The rooms at Koyasan Shukubo Fumonin have air conditioning and a desk. A vegetarian breakfast is available each morning at the accommodation. Koyasan Shukubo Fumonin offers 3-star accommodation with a public bath. Matsushita Park is 45 km from the ryokan, while Itakiso Shrine is 45 km from the property. The nearest airport is Kansai International Airport, 61 km from Koyasan Shukubo Fumonin.View on Booking.com
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Koyasan SaizeninLocated in the sacred Koyasan area, Saizenin offers simple accommodation surrounded by mountains and many temples. Originally developed as a lodging for the templesf pilgrims, it conducts Buddhist services every morning that guests can attend. Nankai Koyasan Train Station is a 15-minute drive away. Fitted with tatami (woven-straw) flooring and traditional futon bedding, each room comes with a flat-screen TV and a seating area. A safety deposit box is also provided. The Koyasan Saizenin features luggage storage and free parking. Kansai International Airport is 40 km away. Nankai Namba Train Station in Osaka is a 2-hour train ride from the proprety. Healthy vegetarian meals are served in the guest room or in the dining room for dinner and breakfast.View on Booking.com
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Yochi-inLocated in the sacred Mount Koya area, Yochi-in is a historic temple and an accommodation for visitors. Just to the left of entering sanmon gate, there is a stone garden created by the famous Mirei Shigemori and designated a natural monument by the Japanese government. Guests can experience temple activities such as meditation, sutra copying and tracing of Buddhist deities at an additional charge, if reserved in advance. Guests can also participate in morning prayers, which do not require reservation. All rooms at Yochi-in are Japanese-style and feature tatami (woven-straw) floors. Traditional futon bedding, a TV, fan and heater are provided. Bathroom and toilet are shared with other guests. The spacious public baths feature a hot tub. On-site luggage storage is available. Guests with reservations that include a meal can enjoy delicately prepared homemade vegetarian meals featuring seasonal dishes. Convenience stores are located within a 3-minute walking distance from the property. It is a 10-minute walk from the famous Kongobuji Temple. Guests can visit the Buddhist temple, Danjogaran, just a 3-minute walk away.View on Booking.com
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