Day 1: Okunoin and Temple Lodging
Start
Start at Koyasan Station
Bus
15 minutes
Karukayado-mae bus stop
Walk
5 minutes
Okunoin Temple
Okunoin is the site of the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism and an important figure in the religious history of Japan. The grounds contain a huge graveyard of those who want to be close to Kobo Daishi.
Walk
20 minutes
Head to your temple lodging in the town by bus or on foot
Temple Lodging
Stay overnight at a temple lodging (shukubo) and participate in the temple activities like meditation. Facilities at a shukubo tend to be simple, and meals served are vegetarian monks' cuisine (shojin ryori).
Finish
Day 2: Temples and a Pilgrimage Trail
Start
Check out of the temple lodging after breakfast
Walk
Kongobuji Temple
Kongobuji Temple is a large temple where visitors can see exquisitely painted fusuma doors from the 16th and 17th centuries. The rock garden in the back of the temple is one of Japan's largest.
Walk
5 minutes
Garan
The Garan consists of several buildings, of which the two most prominent ones are the Kondo Hall and the Konpon Daito Pagoda. Of note is also the Chumon Gate which was reconstructed recently.
Walk
10 minutes
Daimon Gate
A large, two-story tall gate that marks the traditional entrance to Koyasan.
Women Pilgrims Course
The Women Pilgrims Course leads around the town of Koyasan and was built for women who were banned from entering the town before 1872. We walk the section from the Daimon Gate to the only surviving Nyonindo Hall, halls built for female pilgrims.
Nyonindo bus stop
Bus
5 minutes
Finish
Koyasan Station
