Mt. Kōya（高野山, Koyasan）
| Elevation | 1009 m |
|---|---|
| Classification | 100 Famous Low Mountains of Japan |
| Location | Wakayama Pref. (和歌山県 高野町) |
| Coordinates | 34.21250, 135.58639 |
Highlights of Mt. Kōya
- Selected as one of the 100 Famous Low Mountains of Japan
- Elevation 1009 m
- Located in Wakayama Pref.
Weekly weather (reference)
About Mt. Kōya
Mount Kōya (高野山, Kōya-san) is a large temple settlement in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan to the south of Osaka. In the strictest sense, Mount Kōya is the mountain name (sangō) of Kongōbu-ji Temple, the ecclesiastical headquarters of the Kōyasan sect of Shingon Buddhism.
History
First settled in 819 by the monk Kūkai, Mount Kōya is primarily known as the world headquarters of the Kōyasan Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. Located on an 800-meter-high plain amid eight peaks of the mountain, which was the reason this location was selected, in that the terrain is supposed to resemble a lotus plant, the original monastery has grown into the town of Kōya.
Koya features a university dedicated to religious studies and 120 sub-temples, many of which offer lodging to pilgrims. Mount Kōya is also a common starting point to the Shikoku Pilgrimage (四国遍路, Shikoku Henro) associated with Kūkai.
Sites
The mountain is home to the following famous sites:
Kongōbu-ji (金剛峯寺), the head temple of the Kōyasan Shingon Buddhism. Located roughly in the middle of the sanctuary, Kongobuji is colloquially known as "Kōyasan-Issan", literally meaning "the mountain of Kōya". The temple was built by the warlord...