Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara and Kôyasan - Niutsuhime-jinja

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

   Nara was Japan's capital for only seventy-four years, from 710 to 784, but it left a mark out of all proportion to the time. The court modelled the new city on Chang'an, the Chinese capital, with a grid of streets and a palace at the north, and it was here that Buddhism took root as the state religion, that the first histories and poetry anthologies were compiled, and that the great temples were built. Eight monuments are included in the World Heritage listing: Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Gango-ji, Yakushi-ji, Toshodai-ji, the site of Heijo Palace and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest.

   Read the complete Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara is where the day begins. Next is Kozan-ji.

2. 2. Kozan-ji

   Kozan-ji hangs on a forested ridge in the Toganoo hills, north-west of Kyoto, and the way there is the best part. Route 162, the old Shuzan Kaido, follows the Kiyotaki river up from the city through a narrow valley of cedar and maple, past the villages of Takao, Makino and Toganoo. The road is narrow and winding, with tight bends and blind corners, and it moves quickly from city to deep woods. In autumn the maples turn scarlet and the traffic can be heavy, so go on a weekday morning, or in early spring when the valley is nearly empty.

   Read the complete Kozan-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Kozan-ji comes up about 54 km into the recorded legs. Next is Kôyasan - Niutsuhime-jinja.

3. 3. Kôyasan - Niutsuhime-jinja

   A hunter with two dogs, according to the legend, is why Koyasan exists. When the monk Kukai, later called Kobo Daishi, returned from studying in China in the early ninth century, he threw a ritual three-pronged object into the air and asked it to land on a site for a mountain monastery. He found it hanging in a pine tree on a high plateau in the Kii mountains, and there he met a hunter, the god Karibamyojin, who led him to the place with his dogs. The hunter's mother, the goddess Niutsuhime, is honoured at the shrine that guards the approach. Kukai founded his monastery in 816, and Koyasan has been the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism since.

   Read the complete Kôyasan - Niutsuhime-jinja write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 184 km into the recorded legs you reach Kôyasan - Niutsuhime-jinja. Next is back through Kozan-ji.

4. 4. back through Kozan-ji

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Kozan-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Kozan-ji, late in the day. Next is Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

5. 5. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. That is the ride.