Okunoin

Koya-san's Okunoin is Japan's largest cemetery and one of its most sacred sites. A two-kilometer path lined with over 200,000 moss-covered stone monuments leads through towering cedar trees, some over 600 years old, to the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism. The path passes graves of feudal lords, samurai clans, and modern corporations alongside ordinary families. Near the mausoleum, the Torodo (Hall of Lamps) holds more than 10,000 lanterns, two said to have burned continuously since the eleventh century. Monks deliver meals to the inner chamber twice daily, as Kobo Daishi is believed to remain in eternal meditation. The atmosphere shifts from historical to deeply spiritual as visitors cross the Gobyobashi bridge into the innermost sanctuary. Early morning walks, when mist settles among the cedars and few visitors are present, are the most atmospheric way to experience the site.