Best Temples around Wakayama, Koyasan Spot List

Famous for its early blossoming cherry trees, which signify the coming of spring

A grand temple complex established on Mount Koya some 900 years ago

A spiritual area surrounding Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum

The nation’s head Koyasan Shingon-shu temple

One of the last temples to prohibit entry to women

A school that embodies the dreams of Buddhist teacher Kobo Daishi

Spend your time comfortably in the visitor's lodging at a first-class ryokan

This temple guesthouse is home to national treasures

An inn within the temple complex

Mt. Koya is a sacred mountaintop site founded by Kobo-Daishi Kukai in 816, and Okuno-in, which holds the Gobyo (mausoleum) of Kukai is the holiest place on the mountain. Surrounded by thick cedar trees, the approach stretches about two kilometers from Ichinohashi (Obashi) to Torodo and Gobyo, lined with about 200,000 graves and memorial towers including those of historical figures such as Sengoku Daimyo (feudal lords). Crossing Gobyobashi Bridge over the Tama-gawa River leads to the Gobyo of Kukai, who died in 835, and Torodo. In Torodo, you'll encounter a sacred lantern called Hinnyo no Itto or Choja no Mando (Shirakawatou) as well as another 20,000 votive lanterns glowing together to create a fantastic spectacle.