Day trip

Koyasan

Koyasan, Osaka

Red Konpon Daito pagoda in the Danjo-garan temple complex on Koyasan
Photo: xiquinhosilva / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Koyasan is a sacred mountain of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism in Wakayama, founded by the monk Kobo Daishi at the beginning of the Heian period. Okunoin and Danjo Garan are its two main areas.

Nearest station Koyasan
Time needed Full day
Best time Early morning
Autumn colour

Insider tip

From Namba, take the Nankai Koya Line to Gokurakubashi and change to the Koyasan Cable Car.

What the guides say about Koyasan

Koyasan is the Shingon Buddhist sacred mountain in Wakayama. The Koyasan tourism association says to take the Nankai Koya Line to Gokurakubashi and change to the Koyasan Cable Car. Okunoin is a roughly 2 km approach through old cedars to Kobo Daishi's mausoleum, lined with over 200,000 memorial towers. From Nankai Koyasan Station the Koya Rinkan bus goes to Ichinohashi-guchi, the usual start. The cable car and bus times weren't on a page checked, so look up the timetable before you leave and leave a full day.

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What's on at Koyasan

Upcoming events at Koyasan, from the weekly Osaka events calendar.

Exhibition Starts tomorrow ¥

Kongobuji Autumn Special Viewing

金剛峯寺 秋の特別公開

24 Oct to 10 Nov Kongobuji, Koyasan, Koyasan

Time Okuden 9:00 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00)

The Okuden special viewing runs 9:00 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00) for ¥500 on top of the Kongobuji entry fee, and includes a view of the Banryutei garden in autumn colour. A special unveiling of the Kobo Daishi statue runs 8:30 to 17:00.

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Official site
Main hall of Kongobuji temple on Koyasan Nankou Oronain (as36…, CC BY-SA 3.0

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Nearby

Koyasan Reihokan Museum · 2 min walk A museum holding Buddhist statues and paintings from the temples of Mount Koya, including National Treasures. Kongobuji Shrine · 4 min walk The head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, with a rock garden and a main hall that can be toured inside. Okunoin Shrine · 2.3 km away The most sacred area of Koyasan, a roughly 2 km approach through cedar trees several hundred years old to the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi. Sakai City Museum Museum · 39.5 km away The city museum inside Daisen Park, beside the Mozu tomb group. Daisen Kofun (Nintoku-tenno-ryo) Day trip · 40.3 km away Japan's largest burial mound, 486 m long and built in the mid-5th century in Sakai. Alphonse Mucha Museum Sakai Museum · 41.4 km away A city museum of work by Alphonse Mucha, the Art Nouveau painter, inside Belle Mage Sakai Nibankan next to Sakaishi Station.

Good to know

How do I get to Koyasan?
The nearest station is Koyasan. Koyasan is in Koyasan, Osaka.
How long do you need at Koyasan?
Plan for full day.
When is the best time to visit Koyasan?
Early morning.

Stay near Koyasan

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