Kōyasan (高野山) - most sacred mountain in Japan 🌳 🪷

Kōyasan (Mount Kōya: 高野山) is one of Japan's most sacred spiritual places, nestled high in the forested mountains of Kōyasan in Wakayama Prefecture. Founded over 1,200 years ago by the Buddhist monk Kūkai (空海) (also known as Kōbō Daishi: 弘法大師), it serves as the heart of Shingon Buddhism (真言宗) and is home to more than 100 temples. Ancient cedar trees tower over moss-covered pathways, and temple bells echo through the mist early in the morning. The vast sacred cemetery of Okunoin (奥之院) stretches through a 2-kilometer-long mystical forest of cobblestones, filled with centuries-old stone lanterns and monuments. Okunoin is the largest cemeterial sanctuary in Japan. Hidden beneath towering cedar trees, more than 200,000 tombstones and monuments mark the final resting place of samurai, poets, and influential figures from across Japan, drawn here by the belief that they may remain forever near Kūkai in this sacred sanctuary. Gorinto (五輪塔) represents (from the bottom in Sanskrit): Earth (地), Water (水), Fire (火), Wind (風), and Sky (空). Beyond its beauty, Kōyasan is a place of deep tranquility and reflection. Visitors can stay overnight in temple lodgings, participate in morning prayers and meditation sessions, and enjoy traditional vegetarian Buddhist cuisine (shōjin ryōri: 精進料理). Kōyasan is not merely a destination. It's a sanctuary where nature, spirituality, history, and silence come together, creating one of the most peaceful and profoundly moving places in Japan. It's been over 40 years since I last visited Kōyasan as a small child. All seemed to remain the same as if it had been untouched by the modern world. I hope you will feel a sense of stillness while watching this 15-minute-long video. In this video, you will also see Banryu-tei Japanese Rock Garden (蟠龍庭) inside Kongobuji Temple (金剛峯寺), Konpon Daito (根本大塔), Danjo Garan: Elevated Precinct (壇上伽藍), among other historical sites in Kōyasan. "Every sound, color, and phenomenon in the cosmos is a direct expression of enlightenment, and we can perceive this truth when we attune our own minds." Kūkai - Founder of Shingon Buddhism (774-835) 📸 All videos and photos on this channel are 100% authentic and captured in real life. No AI technology or digital enhancements are used. Occasionally, background audio may be gently edited to remove unwanted industrial noise or human chatter so the natural atmosphere can be better enjoyed. 🐦🌿🌳 Copyright 2026 @ Birds & Beyond. All rights reserved.