093 - Tour the sacred mountain of Koya-san (高野山)
093 - Travel Podcast from Koyasan (高野山). A welcoming, peaceful and serene location at any time of the year.
By Stephanie Boegeman.
PodAsia Travel Podcast team travels to the mountains of Koya-san (高野山) in Wakayama prefecture to see the sacred mausoleum of Buddhist leader Kuukai and experience an overnight stay in one of the mountain’s many temples. This week’s episode features podcast music "RubbinheBuddha" by The Ks.
Podcast Section
Timecode where it starts
Introduction & Opening by PM -0:00:00
Jeffrey Howser interview - 0:01:47
A380 v B787 - 0:03:30
Podsafe music - 0:14:40
Where to stay review - 0:17:50
Buddist monks and rituals - 0:19:50
WHERE IS KOYASAN?
HOW TO TRAVEL TO KOYASAN
Koyasan is about an hour and a half south of Osaka by train. To ascend the mountain by cable car, change trains for the Nankai Koyasan Cablecar at Gokurakubashi (極楽橋) station. To climb the traditional Koyasan’s pilgrimage path, called the Chōishi-michi (町石道), get off the train a few stops earlier at Kudoyama(九度山) Walk about 1.5 km to the northwest to find Jison Temple (慈尊院). From here, the path follows 180 stone markers up a 22km path to the top of Mt. Koya.
WHAT TO SEE WHEN YOU’RE THERE
Once you’ve reached the village at the top of Mt. Koya, be sure to experience:
Okunoin and Lantern Hall (奥の院, 燈籠堂): A huge graveyard set amongst a forest of cedars, this is the final resting place of Koyasan’s founder, Kuukai. Open 6am-5:30pm*
Shakyo(写経): This is an activity, rather than a place. Hand copy sutras in order to achieve piece of mind. To participate, contact Daishi Kyokai by phone: 0736-56-2015
Danjo Garan: This sacred area consists of over a dozen buildings, including a 50 m orange tower which is the focal point of a mandala which covers all of japan! admission varies by building, 8:30-5:30*
Kongoubuji(金剛峰寺): the headquarters of the buddhist shingon sect with a famous rock garden. 500Y, open 8:30-5:30*
Reihoukan Museum(霊宝館): numerous treasures on display. 600Y, open 8:30-5:30*
*Hours may vary seasonally
A combination ticket for 1500Y is available for 6 of the most popular sights around Koyasan. It can be purchased from any of the included sites, including the last 3 locations listed above.
If you arrive at the right time of year, you can view some spectacular festivals, including:
Festival of Green Leaves, which celebrates Kuukai’s bday on June 15th. The festival begins at Daishi Kyokai
Candlelight Festival, which is a memorial service for one’s ancestors on August 13. The festival begins at 6pm at Ichinohashi, the first bridge in Okunoin. A ritual is also held at 8pm at Lantern Hall. This festival coincides with Obon, a 3-day Japanese festival when the spirits of one’s ancestors return to earth.
Excellent tours are available from the Koyasan Interpreter Guide Club, located in Daishi Kyokai, close to the Kongobuji, Reihokan Museum, and Garan. Tour guides can converse in English, Portuguese, and Chinese.
Free group tours are given every Wednesday, April-Sept. No reservation needed.
Course A: Tour of Okunoin (8:30-11:00)
Course B: Tour of Kongobuji & Garan (1:00-2:30)
Visitors can also call and arrange private or specialized tours.
0736-56-2015
http://www.geocities.jp/koyasan_i_g_c/index.html
WHERE TO STAY - PodAsia Travel Podcast
For the full Koya-san experience, make sure to book a room in one of the area’s many temples for an overnight stay.
PodAsia Travel Podcast recommends Shojoshin-in (清浄心院)
556 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun, Wakayama-ken 648-0291
http://japaneseguesthouses.com/db/mount_koya/shojoshinin.htm
This temple is conveniently close to the Okunoin. Only vegetarian fare is served. Guests are invited to attend morning prayer, which starts around 6am.
Lodging for Shojoshin-in and other temples can be made online through
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/mount_koya/index.htm
http://www.shukubo.jp/eng/05_syukubo.html
Visitors looking for lodging can also call the Kouyasan Shukubou Temple Lodging Cooperative or the The Koyasan Tourist Association.
They rent out audio guides for Koyasan in English, French, Chinese, Korean, Japanese for 500 Yen each.
phone: 0736-56-2616
open 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
A FINAL MESSAGE
The podcast ends with a message from Kouyu Araki, a monk from Koyasan. Here are his thoughts, roughly translated:
"It is not important which religion we choose to follow, be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism. What is important is the basic principle which runs through religion, the need to look into the essence of life. Nowdays, many people are looking for the one true religion, but this is unnecessary. When we feel our existence in the cosmic world, we must think of things like peace. Regardless of which religion we choose to follow, each of us has the same heart".
–Translation by Mitsu Tanaka
MUSIC PROMOTION: PodAsia supports and promotes impendent artists. Music in this episode is from the podsafemusicnetwork.com. This is from New York band "The K’s" with their song "RubbinheBuddha"
Singer and writer Dan Kilian, who came to New York after some years toiling in obscurity in the overlooked yet still “important” Louisville band The Uglies, formed The Ks last year with guitarist Ray Beyda, then overhauled the band this year bringing onboard former Pleasure Mechanics member Dave Benjoya as Music Director.
Matt Miniea on bass, drummer Dave Campbell, and the hon-K orchestra (Dave Prager, Jon Mossberg, and Marty Sacks) round out this tightly stitched Frankenstein’s monster of entertainment. They are The Ks. Go see their show and buy their products! Tell them PodAsia sent you.
