TRAVEL IN JAPAN
Shukubō—Temple-stay on Mount Kōya
A night spent with monks
Mount Kōya in Wakayama Prefecture is the center of Shingon Buddhism. It is located on a plateau surrounded by eight forested peaks and connected by ancient pilgrimage routes to the Kumano Sanzan — Hongu Grand Shrine, Hayatama Grand Shrine, and Nachi Grand Shrine — the three sacred sites of the Kumano region. These sites are a quintessential example of the synchronicity of Buddhism and Shinto, with each location’s deity having both a Buddhist and a Shinto embodiment.
In 819, after first requesting the blessing of the local Shinto deities, the founder of Shingon consecrated Mount Kōya as a mountain retreat and the headquarters of his esoteric branch of Buddhism. This monk, Kukai, posthumously named Kōbō Daishi, rests in a mausoleum deep within Okunoin, the largest graveyard in Japan, atop Mount Kōya.
Today, there are over 100 temples on Mount Kōya, many of which offer lodging to visitors. I was lucky enough to stay at such a temple several times in recent years.
Staying at a temple
