From sacred mountains to the bustling cities, Koyasan and Osaka are popular tourist destinations
in the Kansai Region that offer a wide variety of sightseeing spots.
On this trip, we will be exploring a revered mountain and learning more about tea and sake..
My name is Raina Ong, staff writer for japan-guide.com, and for the next two days, I’ll be visiting
Koyasan and Sakai City on an overnight trip.
Here’s the plan.
On Day One, we arrive by plane at Kansai International Airport in Osaka where our trip begins.
After that, it’s time to catch the Nankai train on towards Koyasan via Tengachaya to
Gokurakubashi, and from there the cable car to Koyasan.
Upon arrival at Koyasan Station, we take the bus into the town center and visit the attractions
on the mountain like Kongobuji Temple, Okunoin and hike one of the pilgrimage trails in Koyasan
all the way to the Daimon gate.
The day ends with a stay at a temple lodging.
On Day Two, after participating in the daily morning prayers at the temple lodging, we
descend the mountain and head into Sakai to learn more about tea and local sake, before
ending the day at the UNESCO World Heritage burial tombs of some of the former emperor
and aristocrats of Japan.
So follow along as we go on a 2-day trip to Koyasan and Sakai by Nankai Railway.
Upon arriving at Kansai International Airport,
we head to the Nankai train station located near the international arrival terminal.
After sending our luggage off at the N.E.S.T counter, we head to Koyasan, a spiritual mountain
home to the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism, and where its founder Kobo Daishi is said
to be in eternal meditation.
Our first stop on Koyasan is Kongobuji Temple,
which is the head temple of Shingon Buddhism.
Not only is the main temple building massive, but it’s also a good place to see traditional
Japanese architecture and design.
Over here is the Banryutei, a dry rock garden,
and the rocks over here, they represent a dragon floating over a sea of clouds, protecting the inner hall.
We then make our way to the vast cemetery
in Okunoin, enjoying the serenity and tranquility along the approach before heading to the mausoleum
of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism.
The Shojinku Procession happens twice daily, once at 6am and once at 10:30am.
It is a procession in which monks deliver food to Kobo Daishi,
who is said to be in eternal meditation in the mausoleum at the back.
Not far from the Nakanohashi entrance to Okunoin is the start of the Nyoninmichi hiking trail.
Hiking trails are a great way to see the mountain from another perspective and enjoy the outdoors.
This hike takes about 2-3 hours to complete and offers some pretty scenery as it passes
through the woods and crosses a mountain pass.
No visit to Koyasan is complete without an
overnight stay at a temple lodging.
One of the nice things about staying at a temple is getting to eat Shojin Ryori which is Buddhist cuisine.
We've got sesame tofu which is made in house, tempura, hot pot and a few miso dishes.
Morning prayers are one of the activities you can participate in when you stay at a temple lodging,
and that's what I'm about to do.
It really sets the tone for the rest of the day.
This morning’s activity and breakfast left
me feeling very refreshed, and now it’s time to head down the mountain towards our
next destination for the day: the city of Sakai.
Sakai is known to be the birthplace Sen no Rikyu,
the most important tea master in the history of Japan.
My first stop is the Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko, to learn more about the tea culture in Sakai.
This room that I'm in is a replica of Sen No Rikyu's tea room in Kyoto. This place feels really authentic.
Tea ceremony experiences are also available here, and I’m gonna give it a go.
For lunch, I headed to Tsuboichi Saryo.
This tea company was established in 1850, and is a well-loved local business today.
In addition to selling tea, the shop also serves food, and I’m ready for a tea-infused meal.
So the nice thing about the Gyokuro leaves are that after making the tea, we get to eat the leaves.
This is ponzu, like vinegar.
Doesn't taste like tea at all, it tastes like vegetables, like spinach.
Another local business, the Sakai Izumi Brewery
is a sake brewery in the city, and there’s no better place to try local Japanese sake.
The company’s main sake label is named after the tea master Sen no Rikyu reflecting its
origins in the city and its heritage.
Our final stop for the day, is the Mozu-Furuichi
Kofun Group, a cluster of 49 kofun or ancient burial mounds spread across two areas.
I visited the Kofun in the Mozu area where about half the tombs are located.
Behind me is the Nintokutenryo Kofun, one of the largest burial mounds in the world.
It's a bit hard to appreciate its shape from here, but here is how it looks from above.
These Kofun come in various shapes and sized and are designated world heritage sites.
And that concludes our 2-day trip to Koyasan and Sakai.
Thanks for joining me.
I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspires some ideas, should you decide
to plan an overnight trip from Kansai Airport.
For more information or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now or head
to japan-guide.com, your comprehensive up-to-date travel guide first hand from Japan.
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Happy travels.