Koyasan Japan: 6 places to see on a temple route
Explore Koyasan's spiritual heart with this route covering seven major temples and monuments. Visit the Danjo Garan Temple Complex, Great Diamond Gate, Reihokan Museum, Tokugawa Clan Mausoleum, Kongobuji Temple, Okunoin Cemetery, and Kobo Daishi Mausoleum across this UNESCO World Heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Danjo Garan Temple Complex
- End
- Kobo Daishi Mausoleum
- Stops
- 6
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Danjo Garan Temple Complex — The center of Koyasan featuring a pagoda and Kondo hall
- Reihokan Museum — Museum preserving religious and cultural treasures of Koyasan
- Tokugawa Clan Mausoleum — Enshrines the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate and his son
- Kongobuji Temple — Head temple of Shingon Buddhism, originally constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
- Okunoin Cemetery — Japan's largest cemetery with over 200,000 graves and memorials
- Kobo Daishi Mausoleum — Where Kobo Daishi rests in eternal meditation awaiting the future Buddha
Useful for your trip
- Transport
- From Namba Station in Osaka, take the Nankai Koya Line to Hashimoto Station, then transfer to cable car to Koyasan Station. Limited Express is fastest but most expensive; local/express trains are cheaper with longer travel time.
- Save money
- Consider the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket for 2-day stays; it saves around 15% on attractions. Alternatively, use Kansai Thru Pass if visiting other Kansai region sites.
- Where to stay
- Stay at a temple lodging (shukubo) for a unique experience including morning prayers with monks, sutra copying, and meditation. Saizenin, Eko-in, and Fudo-in temples offer accommodation.
- Where to stay
- Budget-friendly guesthouse option available at Koyasan Guesthouse Kokuu with shared facilities and bunk bed or capsule options.
- Food
- Temple lodging includes shojin ryori, a traditional multi-course vegetarian Buddhist meal similar to kaiseki-style dining.
- Timing
- Spend at least 2 days and 1 night in Koyasan to experience the area properly. Visit anytime of year; autumn (mid-November) offers fall foliage, while winter creates a wonderland atmosphere.
- Tip
- Okunoin Cemetery is Japan's largest with over 200,000 graves and memorials. It's the main attraction and centers the town; it's a serene, peaceful experience despite being a cemetery.
- Tip
- Kongobuji Temple features long corridors, exquisite rooms, and Banryutei rock garden, the largest rock garden in Japan representing dragons emerging from clouds.
- Tip
- Danjo Garan Temple Complex is Koyasan's center with an impressive compound pagoda and kondo hall, plus smaller temples scattered throughout for exploration.
- Tip
- Great Diamond Gate stands 25 meters tall on Koyasan's western side and marks the entrance to the sacred site.
Video on this route
Koyasan Travel Guide - Best things to do in Koyasan Japan