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Before you go
Your trip to Koya.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Koya – Wakayama
How to get there
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Aeroporto Internacional de Kansai (KIX) Izumisano · 75 km
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Estação de Koyasan (funicular) 3 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
From Osaka: Nankai Railway from Namba to Gokurakubashi in about 1h20 to 1h40, and the funicular to Koyasan Station; buses connect the station with the town center and Okunoin. By car, the road climbs the mountain from Hashimoto. Kansai Airport is about 2h30 by train.
How many days
One day and one night: Daimon, Danjo Garan and Kongobu-ji on the first day, Okunoin at dusk and the temple ceremony the next morning.
When to go
From April to November, with foliage in November. Winter is cold with snow. In August, the Okunoin lantern ceremony fills the path with candles at night.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. Buses run along the main street, from the funicular station to the Daimon and Okunoin, and the center is explored on foot.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Koya
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Morning
Daimon and Danjo Garan
Start at the large Daimon gate at the western entrance and walk to Danjo Garan, with the red pagoda Konpon Daito and the Kondo hall.
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Afternoon
Kongobu-ji and Reihokan Museum
Have a temple vegetarian lunch, visit Kongobu-ji and the Banryutei rock garden, and, if time allows, the Reihokan Museum next to the Garan.
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Evening
Okunoin at dusk
Walk the roughly 2 km path among cedars and tombs to the lantern hall and Kukai’s mausoleum. Afterwards, have a vegetarian dinner at the temple where you’re staying.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
How many temples are there in Koyasan?
More than a hundred, including smaller temples, halls and the head temple Kongobu-ji. Dozens of them receive overnight guests.
What is shojin ryori?
The vegetarian cuisine of Buddhist monks, without meat, fish, garlic or onion, prepared with tofu, mountain vegetables, sesame and koya-dofu, the dehydrated tofu typical of Koyasan.
How do you get around Koyasan?
By bus, which connects the funicular station to the town center, to Daimon and to Okunoin, and on foot between the temples in the center. One- and two-day passes cover the buses.
Are there guided night visits to Okunoin?
Yes, some temples and local guides offer night walks through the cemetery, explaining the graves and beliefs. Book at the information center.
Beyond the guide
