niponica is a web magazine that introduces modern Japan to people all over the world.
2015 No.16
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Strolling Japan
Wakayama Prefecture is situated to the south in the middle of Japan’s main island of Honshu, and the Kii Mountains there have been venerated since ancient times. High in the mountain range, the area known as Mount Koya (elevation around 900 meters, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), has been regarded as a sacred place in Japanese Buddhism for 1,200 years, ever since the priest Kobo Daishi (Kukai) founded a monastic center for the esoteric Shingon sect there in 816.
The entire area of Mount Koya is considered to be a place of prayer—117 religious buildings are scattered about within its temple complex, the most revered being Kongobu-ji Temple. Among these religious buildings, the spot where Kobo Daishi first established the monastic center is called Danjo Garan, and here you can see pagodas and temple halls whose architectural design reflects esoteric concepts. Walk under Chu-mon Gate and the first remarkable building to strike your eyes is Kondo, the “Golden Hall,” where various religious rituals are held. Beside it rises Konpon Daito, the Great Central Pagoda, 48.5 meters high and the symbol of Mount Koya. Inside on the pillars and walls are illustrations of the Buddha and Bodhisattva saints, three-dimensionally forming a world of mandala imagery that represents the spiritual awakening achieved through the Buddha’s practice. When the pagoda is illuminated at night, the aura it creates against the sky is truly impressive.
In the entire area of Mount Koya, the place considered most sacred within the complex is Okunoin, the location of the mausoleum where the temple founder, Kobo Daishi, is said to be meditating to this day. People think of him as virtually alive, still holding out his hand to help those in need, and they feel that this place offers the most direct opportunities to venerate him. Here, twice a day, food is brought to him in the Shojingu ritual. The pilgrims’ path to Okunoin is surrounded with cedar trees that are several hundred years old, creating a mystical atmosphere.