Scenery from the train. Very classic Japan I think. There are the mountains, and old and new homes mixed together all over with the rice fields, with the modern highway/ train track flying above. Also, I thought it looked pretty. Sometimes it's looked like this, but with the fields and homes and tracks spread across big flat plains, with the mountains always on the horizon.
The Enormous Kopon Daito pagoda in the Garan sacred precinct, with huge gold (painted at least) Buddha statues sitting on lotuses, making a rare three dimensional mandala of the universe.
Some really old shrines and graves along the path to the temple/ mausoleum of of Kobo Daishi, aka Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most important figures in Japanese religious history. My understanding is that it's said that instead of dying, Kobo Daishi/ Kukai is resting in eternal meditation, awaiting the coming of Miroku Nyorai (Maihreya), the Buddha of the Future, and that only he will be able to interpret the Buddhas message. So everyone who can is buried here, or at least a part of them, so that they will be that much closer to Kukai and salvation.
The path lined with lanterns and huge, old, cedar trees.
Me on the path to Okunoin Temple.
Along the stone path, there were graves and shrines up into the forest on either side and sometimes little foot paths going out too.
A really old grave or shrine or something.
It wasn't quite like the pictures, with the fog and monks and stuff, but it was really atmospheric. Kobo Daishi came back from China after learning Buddhism and founded the Koyasan temple complex in 835ish, so this place has been here awhile.
This is the friendly okonomiyaki shop owner I ended up having a good time chatting with over my okonomiyaki dinner that night! He also gave me a free cup of Ume-shu (plum wine), and a free 2011 Ukiyo-e (woodblock print) calendar!
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