Closed Temporarily For Remodeling

During December 2010 through March 2011,

VIC ( Koyasan Visitor Information Center ) 

is closed temporarily for remodeling.

We are very sorry to cause you inconvenience,

but we would ask for your kind understanding. 

Please feel free to contact us by
 phone or e-mails

at anytime when you need information about 

Koyasan and guided tours.

Thank you very much.

Mobile phone: 090-1486-2588 / 090-3263-5184

E-mail: mail@koyasan-ccn.com

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 = Koyasan Cross-cultural Communication Network =

KOYASAN IN TOKYO (1st Sept. through 12th Sept.)

Koaysan Cafe has been set up in Marunouchi,Tokyo on September 1st.

This is the fourth operation since 2007. Koyasan Cafe is getting popular among city residents as a place where anyone feel free to enjoy Buddhist expereiences including shojin-ryori, vegetarial cuisine for Buddhist monks, shakyo, copying sutra, and Ajikan, Buddhist meditation.　
With the cooperation of "Marunouchi House" which contains nine restaurants and open space inside, you can enjoy different types of shojin-ryori at each restaurant. It must be nice to escape from summer heat and refresh yourself at Koyasan Cafe.

Of course, it's better to visit Koyasan in Wakayama. There are over one hundred temples in Koyasan, and half of them offer accommodations. Also, excellent guided tours are available at anytime. Please contact us by e-mail or phone. (SKY)

Great Shower!

Wednesday, August 25     22℃       Cloudy/Shower

 

That's Koyasan!  In summer, we used to have a shower almost everyday.  But this summer, we didn't have any for almost 2 weeks and that made Koyasan terribly hot and humid.  (Well, still visitors say it's cool but Koyasan was not so hot as today.)  Anyway, since Monday, the 23rd, it started to have a shower.  The yard of Daishi Kyokai where our office is located turned to be like a ocean within 15 minutes.  But wait a minute?  It won't seem to stop.  Well, it never rains but pours turns to be true.  (KQ)

 

 

SAVE YOU 30% ON YOUR ADMISSIONS IN KOYASAN

Monday August 20, 2010  Sunny   26C(10:00am)

SAVE YOU 30% ON YOUR ADMISSIONS

KOYASAN COMBINATION TICKET will save you 30% on your admissions in Koyasan.

This ticket covers four places and two religious experiences, shakyo and o-jukai.

There are many places to see in Koyasan.
Many people are baffled, wondering where to go or what to do in Koyasan.

But, you don't have to worry. Just visit the places on this ticket and join in the ritual experiences.

Save your time and save your money. This ticket is availabe at VIC. (SKY)

KOYA-KUN

Nara has been celebrating the 1300 year anniversary after establishing the old capital there. Since its preparation, the new unique character, SENTO-KUN has been arousing much controversy. Well, its shocking first impression now got used to be seen.

On the other hand, some people doesn't like to have such an anime-like character appeared in this holly site of Koyasan but KOYA-KUN is getting more and more popular. There are many stationaries, T-shirt, keychains, cell phone straps and so on. Well, Mikkyo, the esoteric Buddhism has many different Buddhas and its teaching is how happy the Buddhas' world is. Buddhas, Boddhisattva, Deities with many different appearance exist there. Why not KOYA-KUN? He looks quite popular among Japanese visiting here. You can see him at KONGOBUJI, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism every Sunday. (KQ)

Summer Temple School Over

Saturday, July 31, Sunny/Cloudy

At Daishi Kyokai, the training facility of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, temple school for kids was open during summer vacation. Some children participated temple school here at Daishi Kyokai and enjoyed working like little monks, playing games, exploring the town, reading and writing with making many friends. Recently some foreign children got to join the school. Closing ceremony was held today.
By KQ

Wed., July 28 Cloudy/Sunny

説明を追加

  When the guests came from the bustling cities in Japan, they can feel relaxed in the cool breeze in the mountain.  The weather forecast said it would rain in the late afternoon but it gets so sunny now.  Even the sun shines strongly, once you escape into the shade, it is cooler.  Inside of the temple or under the shade of skyscraper cedar trees at Okunoin, cooler breeze blow all around you.  Well, the only problem is mosquitos in Okunoin.   Our guide is always preparing mosquito repellent but when you visit there by yourselves, I recommend you to prepare for mosquitos.  Today we have 2 people from England who arrived at Koyasan yesterday and 2 people from Switzerland who just arrived an hour ago.   Hope they would have a great time in Koyasan.   By KQ

July 20th & 21st, 2010

From this evening till tomorrow morning, on Lunar June 10th-11th, MISAISHO-KO is to be held at SAN-NO-IN (The Worship Hall) at GARAN.

MISAISHOKO is originally the special rites to chant and praise the sutra written by Kobo Daishi, "KONKOMYOSAISHO-OHGYO" to pray for the prosperity of the country and the imperial messenger participate the rites. Later its form has changed into question and answer and last 2 days. After completing this, 2 senior priests can make their way to get the special title called "JOGO." 

By KQ

July 20 & 21 Sunny

UCHI-DAN-GI this year was held yesterday and today （Lunar June 9th & 10th）at the Main Hall of Kongobuji.

UCHIDANGI is one of the traditional debates in Koyasan. Koyasan monks study hard and sophisticate themselves in the debates and make their way in their Buddhist life. Those debates are recited in the special melodious intonation. The recruits of special Institute called Kangakue to study harder about teaching of Kobo Daishi participate this debate for the first time and practice so hard for UCHIDANGI. This is the gateway to become the senior priests in Koyasan.
The traditional flower arrangement "GODANBANA (the five-story arranging)" are displayed in the ceremony. By KQ

SUMMER

Monday July 19, 2010    Sunny

At last, the rainy season is over! Summer season has just set in. In order to celebrate the beginning of the summer, Fireworks Display was held at Marina-city in Wakayama. Only a five-minute-show, however, so many people enjoyed splendid sparkling fireworks.

Even in Koyasan, it is hot today. It was 25C at 10:00am. But, unlike most places in Japan, Koyasan is not humid in summer. Why don’t you come to Koyasan to cool yourselves in a refreshing breeze? Today, a group of people are trying to write shakyo wishing for the world peace. (SKY)

RAIN

RAIN

Friday, July 9th, Rainy ( reported by KQ)

It has been raining since this morning. It is natural to have a lot of rain in TSUYU, the rainy season in Japan. But the terrible disaster of heavy rain struck some places in Japan, like flood, mud flood, and land slide. These days, unexpected guerrilla shower suddenly attack partly in some local narrow area. Koyasan is in the mountain and some unexpected shower with the crash of thunder and lightning hit the area in summer. If the weather warning for the thunderbolt is announced, you can't enter OKUNOIN, the approach surrounded by skyscraper Japanese cedars because the thunderbolt may strike the trees. We don't see thundercloud around today but it maybe good to stay inside and stay in peace with copying sutra, or just sitting inside of the temple, reflecting yourself to nature. Buddhist monks have convention that they get together and seek the teaching more deeply at this time of the
year. Why don't you try that too? And still you'd love to wandering around, please do be careful where you walk. At GARAN, the core temple complex, the ground becomes very muddy and the approach of OKUNOIN becomes slippery.
Well, the rain gets heavier in the afternoon but the temperature doesn't go up to 17 degrees Celcius.  You can feel the cool air in Koyasan today. 

Hydrangea Garden in Hanazono

Monday, July 5th, 2010  Cloudy

Twenty-minute-drive from Koyasan, there's a Hydrangea Garden in Hanazono. According to the website of Hanazono, the hydrangea will be at their best around July 10th and later this year. The 'Hanazono Hydrangea Garden' is proud of its scale and location. It is located on a hillside about 1,000 meters above sea level, nearly 3,000 hydrangeas will bloom during the summer season. The 'Hanazono Hydrangea Garden' was introduced in a popular magazine for women, JOSEIJISHIN, as one of the best spots to enjoy beautiful flowers in Japan selected by famous Japanese photographers. Drive through the Ryujin Skyline (R371) , 32 kilometers to the south from Koyasan, you can get to the 'Hanazono Hydrangea Garden' in twenty minutes. I'm planning to visit the garaden during this summer season. Then I'll paste some pictures here. (SKY)

Friday, July 2nd Cloudy

It is cloudy and according to the weather forecast, it'll soon start raining heavily. Actually the south part of Wakayama, the warning of the heavy rain has just released. Rain, rain go away, come again another day (after tomorrow)! Because we are going to provide Free Guided Tour tomorrow. The tour starts 9:00 in front of Koyasan Tourist Organization which is the central area on the main street near the traffic lights. If you like walking in the nature, why don't you try the pilgrimage path? The part of the historic ladies' pilgrimage path is introduced and you can enjoy the fresh air and command a fine view from the mountain.
If you'd like to know the brief introduction of Koyasan, please join the morning tour visiting 3 major spots in Koyasan. These Free Guided Tours are available on the first Saturday every month from April to October this year and our trainee guides are willingly help you with showing around. Anybody is welcome! Why don't you come and join us? (KQ)
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Hydrangeas

Wednesday, June 30 Cloudy partly Sunny

According to the weather forecast, it should have rained. But we were lucky enough not to have gotten any rain.
3 people joined our Wednesday Tour in the morning and 2 joined in the afternoon.
At Daimon gate, hydrangeas have just started to bloom. But most of the places in Koyasan, hydrangeas are not in season yet. Maybe in the mid July or even August, you can see beautiful hydrangeas all around Koyasan.

KQ

WATERLILY

Monday, June 28, 2010   Cloudy & Sunny

Waterlilies are blooming beautifully in the pond just in front of VIC (Visitor Information Center).

VIC （ Visitor Information Center） is located inside the Daishikyokai building next to HENJODEN.

Through the window of VIC, we can see a beautiful TORII in front of us. It is a gateway to a small shrine where BENZAITEN is enshrined.

On a small bridge colored in vermillion, we can enjoy lovely waterlilies in the pond trimmed with azaleas. (SKY)

KOYA-KUN

Hello, this is SKY again. I left the office for the parking lot.  On the stage, Kida Taro was just talking about the theme song he made.  After that Mochi-maki started. Later I understood that the highlight for today's festival was not the speech nor  the parade, but catching rice cakes.

At Henjoden in Daishi Kyokai, religious people made a line to pray for Chigo Daishi. I followed them and stepped up into the inner sanctuary. Chigo Daishi, just returned from the parade, was sitting in front of the statue of Kobo Daishi.

What a nice surprise! KOYA-KUN came to Henjoden.  Here's a picture I took with KOYA-KUN and OTERU.  (SKY)

AOBA MATSURI

Tuesday  June 15, 2010  Cloudy/Rainy

AOBA MATSURI started with Buddhist Service at Henjoden in Daishi Kyokai this morning.

After the service, Matsunaga Yukei, the 412th Archibishop of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism moved to Kongobuji. Later he will talk with KIDA TARO on the main stage set up in the parking lot in front of Kongobuji.

Here in VIC, I couldn't see the parade, but take pictures of a marching band, Chigo Daishi coming back from the parade.

When the Chigo Daishi ( a statue of Chigo Daishi ) in Hanamido came back to Daishi Kyokai, the statue was moved to the inner sanctuary of Henjoden. Then religious people began to sing a song for him.  Ooops!! It is almost 2 o'clock. I have to rush to the main stage to catch rice cakes!! - to be continued - (SKY)

Shikoku Henro pilgrimage

Friday June 11, 2010 Sunny

Yasukawa-san who made Shikoku Henro pilgrimage this month

please visit the following places at your next time in Kagawa prefecture.

Bekkaku No. 17  Kanno-ji

you can see Manno-Ike where Kobo Daishi constructed.

Bekkaku No 18   Kaigan-ji which is about 15 minutes from Zentsu-Ji

This temple is of Kobo Daishi's monther's village and you can see

the well of Kobo Daishi's first bath.

Walking

I met great people during a pilgrimage.

From the 1st to the 7th June my husband and I went to Shikoku as pilgrims. We could visit 36 temples and offer sutras to them.We've already visited 41temples at the end of March, so this time we started from the 24th temple.

We went through Muroto Promontory, Katsura Beach, Ashizuri Promontory and so on. What impressed me most during our pilgrimage was Mikurodo Cave where Odaishi sama was training hard and Venus went into his mouth.

I could understand the reason why he decided to change his name into Kukai.

Some people provided us much money, food, a book etc. as " Osettai". We are deeply  grateful to those people and good weather.

written by Oteru

Ho-No-Ki at Nanin

Sat. June 12, 2010, Sunny

I could take photo of Ho-No-Ki at Nanin at last.

The shape of flower  reminds us the 'Chigo Daishi' ,

photographer Nagasaka writes.

(Walking)

Special Summer Prayer in SANNNOIN

Saturday, June 12 , Sunny

Today is May 1 on lunar calendar. On lunar May 1st and the 2nd, Special

Summer Prayer is held at SANNOIN, the present worship hall for MIYASHIRO,

the shrine at GARAN. The NAMIKIRI-FUDO Deity which used to be the main

deity of SANNOIN returns to its old home for 2 days. The NAMIKIRI-FUDO is said to be sculpted by KOBO DAISHI on his way back from China. The party had a terrible storm in the ocean and that NAMIKIRI-FUDO cut the furious ocean and let KOBO DAISHI's sailboat go safely.

Anyway, this ritual used to be one of the seasonal rituals but today, only the summer one last and has been kept one of Koyasan's traditional ritual to pray for world peace, happiness and rich harvest. It tells that summer is coming soon to Koyasan in a cool breeze.

(^-^) by KQ

Cleaning Up for Aoba Matsuri

 Sunny, June  6, 2010

Kobo Daishi's birthday is coming soon and entire Koyasan celebrates this day gorgeously.  The students from Senshugakuin, the practitioners' school in Koyasan volunteer for cleaning many places in Koyasan.  They are moving running with their cleaning tools.  They also made clear lines in front of HENJODEN, well I heard someone said leeking or reeking, but sorry I don't remeber the word.  Oh, how I feel like running over it.  No, we are afraid of doing that. 

Anyway, they concentrate cleaning for exactly 30 minutes which were timed up by their seniors and gone like a typhoon.   But gallery including our VIC didn't seem to be on their cleaning list.  And guess what, how do visitors hesitate to step on there, I wonder.  But nobody cared.  Well, actually, the students weren't gone but they chanted for another an hour at HENJODEN and beautiful chanting could be heard all over Daishi Kyokai building like a early summer breeze.   (KQ) 

KUMAGAISO-The Lady's Slipper

May 17, 2010,  Sunny

Finally spring has come to Koyasan.  Various flowers started to bloom following cherry blossoms, like rhododendron, wisteria, lady's slipper and so on.  These are lady's slippers, KUMAGAISO in Japanese.  This flower is named after the samurai, Kumagai Naozane who carrying a big cloth on his back on his horse during the battle.  The cloth billows like a baloon on his back and prevent enemy's arrows piercing him.  The shape of this flower is very unique but they are an endangered species and are seldom seen in the mountains now.  Some of Koyasan temples protect and grow them carefully.  I think these flowers look like air bags of the car rather than slippers.  KQ