The road to Kōyasan is a climb out of the modern world and into the Japan of the pilgrim. For more than twelve hundred years, this mountain plateau in Wakayama has been the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism, founded in 816 by the monk Kūkai, known after his death as Kōbō Daishi. He is said to be not dead but in eternal meditation at Okunoin, the great forest cemetery at the end of a cedar-lined path, where thousands of lanterns and countless moss-covered tombstones stand in the shade. The complex of temples is a UNESCO World Heritage site, part of the sacred routes of the Kii Mountains.
The approach is part of the experience. From the Kinokawa plain, the roads climb into steep mountain forest of cedar and cypress, with tight bends, stone walls, and views over folded ridges. The old pilgrim path, the Chōishi-michi, climbs from Kudoyama with stone markers every hundred metres or so, and parallel roads follow the same valleys. The mountains here have been revered for centuries, and the air at altitude, cool and fragrant with cedar, seems to change the pace of everything.
Riding up is a pleasure, though a demanding one. The road is narrow, with many curves and blind corners, and it can be damp and slippery under the trees. Traffic is usually light but can be heavy in the autumn colour season and on holiday weekends, when tour buses and cars are numerous. Take care on the hairpins, and watch for fallen leaves and rocks. Snow falls at this altitude in winter, so check conditions between December and March. Mornings are best, when mist hangs in the trees.
Kōya has a small town of temples, cafes, and shops, though fuel is not something to rely on at that altitude. The sensible place to fill up is Hashimoto, about twelve kilometres away, on the plain below. Many temples offer lodging for visitors, with vegetarian monastic cuisine, shōjin ryōri, that includes sesame tofu and seasonal vegetables, and an early morning prayer ceremony. If you stay, it is an experience quite different from a hotel. Dress modestly in the temples, remove your boots at the entrance, and be quiet in the cemetery.