Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [332]
Sights
OKU-NO-IN
Any Buddhist worth their salt in Japan has had their remains, or just a lock or two of hair, interred in this cemetery-temple to ensure pole position when Miroku Buddha comes to earth.
The best way to approach Oku-no-in is to walk or take the bus east to Ichi-no-hashi-mae bus stop. From here you cross the bridge, Ichi-no-hashi, and enter the cemetery grounds along a winding, cobbled path lined by tall cedar trees and thousands of tombs. As the trees close in and the mist swirls the atmosphere can be enchanting, especially as night falls.
One of the more interesting monuments to look out for is the White Ant Memorial, built by a pesticide company to expiate its guilt for the murder of legions of the little critters.
At the northern end of the graveyard, you will find the Tōrō-dō (Lantern Hall), which is the main building of the complex. It houses hundreds of lamps, including two believed to have been burning for more than 900 years. Behind the hall you can see the closed doors of the Kūkai mausoleum.
On the way to the Lantern Hall is the bridge Mimyo-no-hashi. Worshippers ladle water from the river and pour it over the nearby Jizō statues as an offering for the dead. The inscribed wooden plaques in the river are in memory of aborted babies and those who died by drowning.
Between the bridge and the Tōrō-dō is a small wooden building the size of a large phone booth, which contains the Miroku-ishi. Pilgrims reach through the holes in the wall to try to lift a large, smooth boulder onto a shelf. The weight of the stone is supposed to change according to your weight of sin. We can only report that the thing was damn heavy!
Buses return to the centre of town from the Oku-no-mae bus stop, or you can walk back in about 30 minutes.
KONGŌBU-JI
This is the headquarters of the Shingon school and the residence of Kōya-san’s abbot. The present structure (56-2011; admission ¥500; 8.30am-5pm) dates from the 19th century and is definitely worth a visit.
The main hall’s Ohiro-ma room has ornate screens painted by Kanō Tanyu in the 16th century. The Yanagi-no-ma (Willow Room) has equally pretty screen paintings of willows but the rather grisly distinction of being the place where Toyotomi Hidetsugu committed seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment).
The rock garden is interesting for the sheer number of rocks used in its composition, giving the effect of a throng of petrified worshippers eagerly listening to a monk’s sermon.
Admission includes tea and rice cakes served beside the stone garden. Last entry 4.30pm.
GARAN
This is a temple complex (56-2011; admission to each bldg ¥200; 8.30am-5pm) of several halls and pagodas. The most important buildings are the Dai-tō (Great Pagoda) and Kondō (Main Hall). The Dai-tō, rebuilt in 1934 after a fire, is said to be the centre of the lotus-flower mandala formed by the eight mountains around Kōya-san. It’s well worth entering the Dai-tō to see the Dainichi-nyōrai (Cosmic Buddha) and his four attendant Buddhas. It’s been repainted recently and is an awesome sight. The nearby Sai-tō (Western Pagoda) was most recently rebuilt in 1834 and is more subdued. Last entry 4.30pm.
TREASURE MUSEUM
The Treasure Museum (Reihōkan; admission ¥600; 8.30am-5.30pm May-Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Apr) has a compact display of Buddhist works of art, all collected in Kōya-san. There are some very fine statues, painted scrolls and mandalas.
TOKUGAWA MAUSOLEUM
Built in 1643, the Tokugawa Mausoleum (Tokugawa-ke Reidai; admission without joint ticket ¥200; 8.30am-5pm, to 4pm Nov-Apr) consists of two adjoining structures that