Repeat this experience we will not

Day 10

Manuel woke up early, really early! I remember waking up when he left the room as he had to go on top of my bed to get to the door. The room was a standard size but that means it is a bit cosy for 4 persons and bags and I was sleeping near the door. Thankfully the beds are removed from the room during the day!

It was around 2-3am and I don’t remember him returning. In the morning he told us he wasn’t feeling well (and blaming the temple food for that!) and that he had spent the rest of the night in the onsen. That’s it! He soaked in hot water for the remaining of the night… Apparently he was there all by himself, with his thoughts and no mobile (could be dangerous!), until he was interrupted at 5am by a monk coming in for a soak.

We had been warned yesterday that coffee at the temple was served in a special coffee lounge at ¥300 per cup (£2, €2.4, $2.6). The usual price but I don't see the quality being very high in a place where usually only tea is drunk. We decided to go looking for a proper cup of coffee.

We found a small family run cafe, baby in a cot and grandparents in the kitchen. Literally, the whole family! Coffee here is not an expresso and it doesn't involve a stovetop coffee maker. The coffee is brewed by a syphon coffee maker, aka vaccum coffee maker. It was my first experience of this kind of coffee brewing in a cafe and it was very entertaining.

I could see (very colourful) coffee filters on the shelve so I assume they also do drip coffee.

As a touristic village goes Koyasan is up there. For ¥1500 (£10, €12, $13) there is a combo ticket for the most popular attractions in town! Oh yes, religion makes money!

With the ticket we were given very pretty book marks. It shows a monk with a vajra in his hand.

Tokugawa-ke Reidai (Tokugawa Mausoleum):

The mausoleum was completed in 1643 and it consists of 2 identical buildings standing side by side decorated with numerous carvings and metal work. The ashes of the first Tokugawa Shogun (Ieyasu) are on the right mausoleum and the second Tokugawa Shogun (Hidetada) on the left one.

They are small but have marvellous ornaments.

Nyonindo (Women Hall):

Koyasan was a monastery for men and women weren't allowed in until 1872. Women would stay in temples (nyonindo) built on the periphery of Koyasan. There were seven of these but only one survives by the NW entrance of Koyasan.

Choishi-michi route:

There is a 24km pilgrimage trail from Jisonin Temple in Kudoyama to the Dai Garan (Monastic Complex) in Koyasan. The trail is marked by signposts (choisi) located one cho (109m) apart so pilgrims can keep an idea on their progress. The original small wooden markers were erected by Kobo Daishi himself but have since been replaced by stone markers.

There are other alternative trails to this and one of them in called the Women Pilgrims Course. It starts at the Nyonindo which is where we were so we decided to do part of it until the main gate of Koyasan (Daimon Gate).

Departing from the Nyonindo we trekked up Mount Benten Dake. What do you think we found when we got there? A shrine, of course! 

We rested in a small shelter near the shrine as it was quite hot. I found a broom in the shelter.

A guide with 2 tourists went past us on the opposite direction. He had a little bell on his backpack and Will was quick to clarify it was to deter bears. There was actually a sign at the temple warning about bear sightings in the area and also another one on the path. We were just a little stupid not to carry a bell with us! Luckily no bears in sight.

 (sign at the temple lodging)

(sign on the trail)

On our way down we kept hearing batting noise. Amongst the vegetation and fairly far we identified a baseball field. Japanese love baseball!

Daimon (Main Gate of Koyasan):

The present structure was rebuilt in 1705 and is 25m high. It's huge!

On both sides of the gate, statues of protector deities watch over the entrance to Koyasan. Some or all of them are usually quite scary.

Dai Garan (Monastic Complex):

The word 'garan' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'samgharama' and means a quiet and secluded place where Budhist monks gather and practice.

Chumon (Middle Gate)

Construction of the original Chumon began in 819. It has been destroyed many times by fire, last time was in 1843. It was rebuilt 170 years later in 2015 in commemoration of the 1200th anniversary of the founding of Koyasan. That's why it looks brand new!

The statues on the gate are of the 4 Guardian Kings, who are enshrined in the gate:

Kondo (Main Hall or Golden Hall)

The Kondo was originally finished in 835 but it has been destroyed by fire many times, last fire was in 1926 and the current building dates from 1934. The building serves as the main hall of Koyasan and is where many rituals and ceremonies are held.

Inside pictures cannot be taken but the statues, mandalas and wall paintings are exquisite.

Konpon Daito (Great Pagoda)

Kobo Daishi planned the Daito as the centre of his monastic complex and it took 70 years up to 887 to complete. The building was destroyed by fire mostly due to lightning strikes 5 times in its history and rebuilt each time. That's what happens when it is the highest structure around at 45m tall!
The present building was erected in 1934 after the 1843 fire. 
It's vermilion colour is so bright it distracts your attention to it and takes over all other buildings. I like pagodas!

Rokkaku Kyozo

Hexagonal-shaped sutra repository built in 1159 to house a complete copy of the Budhist scriptures written in gold ink. Last destroyed in 1926 and rebuilt in 1934. The outer rim of the building revolves and visitors were having some fun!

Miedo (Portrait Hall) & Sanko no Matsu (pine tree)

Miedo

Originally the place Kobo Daishi used for meditaton, it contains a 9th century portrait of Kobo Daishi painted during his lifetime, which has survived every single fire since. The portrait is one of Koyasan's treasures and is not displayed to the public.

The Miedo is the most religiously important building in Koyasan due to the portrait, along with the cemetery (Okunoin).

Sanko no Matsu (in front of the Miedo in the picture below):

According to legend, when Kobo Daishi was about to leave China in 806 to return to Japan, he threw a 3-pointed vajra towards the east with the prayer that it would show him the ideal place to build his monastery. He is said to have discovered the vajra he threw at this spot, in a pine tree in 816. The type of pine tree here has 3 needles rather than 2, somewhat resembling a 3-pointed vajra.

Reihokan Museum:

The museum holds a huge number of National Treasures and other works of art. It has a very good display of paintings on paper and silk. I really liked one that has a silver painting over a blue background. Again, no pictures allowed.

Kongobuji (Head Temple of Koyasan Shingon Budhism)

The name Kongobuji was originally intended to refer to all of Koyasan and its many subtemples. The name 'Kongobu' means Vajra Peak.

The buildings have interiors that makes it resemble like a palace. Tatami mats, beautifully painted doors and some gold leaf. Again, photos are not permitted but a visit is worth it. We could even visit the big kitchen, with a huge hearth and stoves large enough to feed 2000 people. I love comparing the layout of the kitchens and the utensils used in different parts of the world!

Main gate

The oldest building in Kongobuji and it still stands since being rebuilt in 1593.

The side gate is generally only used by monks as historically  the only people who could enter through the front gate were the emperor, royalty and the chief priests of Koyasan.

Shoro (Bell Tower)

Architecturally a very interesting looking building.

Banryutei (Rock Garden)

The rock garden is the largest rock garden in Japan (2349 square meters). Although one doesn't understand in the photo, the rocks (granite from Shikoku, Kobo Daishi's birth place) represent a pair of dragons emerging from a sea of clouds (white sand from Kyoto).

           

It was late for lunch and we were hungry, We stopped at a restaurant on the high street but I was getting a bit fed up of Japanese food so I decided to try a Japanese take on Italian cuisine and had spaghetti bolognese. I was surprised to discover it was quite tasty and (almost) true to the Western version (the original Italian version is different from what we are used to). It had a bit too much tomatoes and not enough meat and that is the only critic I have!

Okunoin

Cemetery and sacred area that extends about 2km from the main entrance (Ichinohashi bridge) to Kobo Daishi's mausoleum (Gobyo).

(Ichinohashi bridge)

Apparently Kobo Daishi never died, he entered into eternal meditation in 835, concentrating in the liberation of all beings. He apparently resides in the mausoleum and meals are offered to him twice a day. 

The path is lined on both sides by centuries old cedar trees and the cemetery has over 200,000 gravestones and memorial pagodas for people of all social levels.

I think it can get very complicated to choose where to do your water ablutions before entering the shrine when you have so much choice:

Bridge leading to the most sacred part of the cemetery, Kobo Daishi's mausoleum (Gobyo). No more photos allowed from this place onward.

It took a while to do the full 4km return way through the middle of the cemetery. About 4pm the lanterns were lit. As the cedars are quite high daylight dims rapidly. Lanterns provide a very magical atmosphere to the cemetery.

We really enjoyed the cemetery and would highly recommend a visit.

Random photos of Koyasan:

We walked all day so I was a bit tired. We returned to the temple lodgings for some onsen and dinner.

A lot less guests in the temple today. New faces it seemed to me. I’m assuming the majority of guests stay for 1 night only, just for the experience.

I needed a new yukata today so asked for one but was given a XL size. I went to reception and spoke to the same (not very nice) lady from the check-in time and she told me they were all standard sizes. What?!? Yesterday we were given 3 different sizes to cater for the 4 of us. Also, if there was a standard size in Japan, it would definitely not be a XL size! Does she think I am stupid?!?

This woman works in a temple and is unpleasant and a liar. I am so not liking her attitude! I wasn’t in the mood for a fight so left it and folded the yukata under the belt so it wouldn’t drag on the floor, like one does to kimonos, and went on to the onsen.

A Spanish lady was alone in the onsen and looking a bit puzzled. It was definitely her first time! She asked and I explained the basic rules. She had the shower before the soaking, soaked in for a while and then left. It was a very quick visit but it is normal on your first onsen. When you are not yet into the mood of it. It takes a while to relax and enjoy the heat. I am used to go to the onsen by myself and quickly learned to soak in, relax, empty the mind and enjoy the experience.

Jorge went for a walk before dinner and discovered that a side-effect of the majority of accommodations in Koyasan being temples that offer half board means that shops and restaurants start closing at 5pm and by 7pm almost everything is closed. So maybe it is not that bad that we are locked in by 9pm... we are not missing anything outside!

In 1832 there were 1812 temples in Koyasan. Due to destruction by fires and also the combining of small temples into larger ones, there are now 117 temples of which 52 provide lodgings (shukubo).
Shojin Ryori, Bhudist vegetarian cuisine served in Koyasan, is entirely vegan (in Bhudism taking a life is wrong) and originates from China, having been adapted to Japan by monks over the centuries. It is based on the concepts of 5 flavours, 5 cooking methods and 5 colours.
I do not know exactly what the 5 favours are but they are quite bland. Colours are not as much as what we saw in the vegan cuisine of our accommodation in the mountains of Shikoku (Kunelasob). Overall I must say we were not impressed. Jorge and Manuel digested the food too fast and were always hungry. Repeat this experience we will not.