Koyasan is a mountaintop monastery town that has been welcoming pilgrims for more than twelve centuries. In 816, the monk Kukai, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi, received permission from the emperor to found a retreat on this plateau in the Kii mountains, south of Osaka, and it became the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism. Over a hundred temples now stand among the cedar forest at around 800 metres above sea level, and the whole area is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing for the sacred sites and pilgrimage routes of the Kii mountain range.
The most remarkable place is Okunoin, a cemetery of vast, mossy cedars where more than two hundred thousand gravestones, lanterns and memorials line a long path to the mausoleum of Kukai. Tradition says he is not dead but in eternal meditation, and monks still bring him meals each day. Walking the path in the early morning mist, with the soft light through the trees and the smell of incense and damp moss, is one of the most atmospheric experiences in Japan. Many visitors stay overnight in a temple lodging, called shukubo, where guests eat vegetarian monastic cuisine and can join the dawn prayers.
The road up to Koyasan is a fine one. It climbs from the Kii river valley in tight, well-banked bends through dense forest, with excellent tarmac and almost no traffic outside the holiday seasons, and the air gets cooler as you rise. Autumn colours in late October and November are splendid, and snow can arrive in winter, making the road icy. In the town, speeds are slow and pedestrians are plentiful. Parking is organised near the main temples, and it makes sense to walk once you have arrived.
For services, Koyasan has cafes, small shops and several restaurants serving shojin ryori, the meatless temple cuisine of tofu, vegetables and sesame. Fuel is hard to find in the area, so fill up in Hashimoto, about twelve kilometres from town, before the climb. If you are staying in a temple, check in times and dinner hours, because they tend to be strict, and be ready for early mornings and cold rooms. The silence in the evening is a rare pleasure, broken only by a distant bell.