Mt. Koya, 20.04.24

Mt. Koya, 20th April 2024 

Mt. Koya is a complete opposite of Osaka. It is a sacred site for Buddhism and one of the main temples is the mausoleum of Kukai, the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. He is also known under the name of Kobo Daishi. He died on Mt. Koya in 835. Kukai is revered throughout Japan as a bodhisattva, a kind of saint one can pray and give devotion to. Many buddhists believe that he is not dead but rests in deep meditation awaiting the arrival of the next buddha, Maitreya. 

Leading up to the tomb is a large graveyard, the largest in Japan, as many people wish to be buried near Kukai. The graveyard is still very much in use and one grave had a small rocket on its plot bought by a Japanese company for the use of its employees! The older graves are all deep in the forest and covered in moss but many have fresh flowers on it, even snacks and drinks. 

Small stone figurines are found throughout the cemetery. They often have red woolen hats on or aprons. These are for the souls of children who have died before their parents. They are put under the protection of Jizo Bosatsu, a god of children. 

 

Walking through this graveyard is quite a moving experience despite the many tourists. But lucky for us it was not too bad and most of them were Japanese pilgrims who came to pray at the shrine of Kukai.They light candles or incense sticks, bow their heads in devotion and remain calm and quiet for a while. So the temple had a spiritual dimension to it and indeed in the grounds close to it photography was forbidden and respect was demanded and expected. Koya is one of the holiest and most sacred sites in Japan. 

Next to the mausoleum is another hall with an amazing display of over 10000 lanterns which are said to have been burning for 900 years or more and will do so for all eternity. Entry is forbidden but one can look inside this marvel of religious inspiration and just be in awe at its beauty. 

We decided to walk back to the village rather than take the bus and we found a lesser travelled path through the cemetery which just enhanced the experience. I came across a little shrine called Sugatami-no-Ido, the reflection well. The story goes that whoever looks into the well and cannot see his or her face will die within three days! Naturally enough I had to test the theory but when I looked into the well I could clearly see myself reflected in the water. 

Along the main road of the small town there are numerous tourist shops selling souvenirs but some also have food on offer. One thing we wanted to try was a sweet called mochi. After some search we found one and tasted these morsels made with rice flour and a filling which in our case was chestnut puree. Quite delicious it was too. 

The other thing we wanted to taste was the local food the monks usually serve for dinner in their temples. It is all vegetable based as is the custom with buddhist food. They call it Shojin ryori. We found a cozy little bar type cafe that served such a meal for lunch. It was a tiny restaurant run by a family. The mother cooked, the father served and the children helped prepare the food. It was all very nice and delectable. 

On the way through town we also saw the last of the cherry blossoms which were still a spectacular sight. The main blossom viewing season down in Osaka had passed for us unfortunately so this was a surprise and delight to see. 

Time was up and we had to make our way back to the cable car station to get down the mountain and onto the railway station. But we had a little stressful problem getting there. We entered a bus thinking it would take us straight to the terminal. But after a while in the bus I thought that something just was not right and I asked the bus driver. He understood my broken Japanese and pointed to a bus stop just opposite meaning that is where we ought to be. So we rushed off the bus and waited for the other one. Then I realized that I left my phone and credit card in the other bus! 

At the terminal station I went into the ticket office and explained it all and after a while they found out which bus we had been on and they made some calls on a radio. To our astonishment and relief a few minutes later a bus turned up and the driver was waving my phone out the window. Just in time to catch the cablecar and be on our way back to Osaka. 

This time we had dinner in another little restaurant run also by a husband and wife team. They specialized in soba noodles and ramen but also had tempura. Christine went for the ramen and I chose the vegetable tempura. It was delicious and the beers were excellent as well.