APR 13, Japan Visit: to Koyasan - mountains and monasticism

Koya-san, a monastery town, remains a living spiritual destination for 10 million followers of Esoteric Buddhism in contemporary Japan. They celebrate and honour the sect's ninth-century founder, Kobo Daishi, who, returning from studies in China, was granted land by the Imperial court near the mountain-top far from worldly distractions. The sect's founder remains in eternal meditative rest in a forested cemetery surrounded by multitudes (estimated at 200,000) of his followers.

trains from Kyoto traverse steep gorges

transport to this remote religious centre
 by train, funicular, and bus

our shukubo (temple lodging) in
Koya-san  

Zen  garden

traditional lobby
(we attended a 6:00 a.m. morning prayer service)

The sect's historic religious and administrative centre, Kongo-buji:

main street of Koyasan

TODAY'S POEM (senryu *) 

Through Japan, "IC"

(integrated circuit) cards

simplify transit.

Giorgio Coniglio

* learn more HERE about senryu, a term that designates a lesser-known Japanese short poem that shares the physical characteristics of haiku (nominally 17 'on' / syllables in three non-rhyming lines), but deals in a satiric or humorous way with human foibles rather than with Nature. 

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