Off the Beaten Path in Japan - Koyasan: The Perfect Retreat
Just two hours away from Osaka by train lies the town of Koyasan, a hidden jewel of indescribable wealth and beauty. Located at 3,200′ in elevation on the top of Mt. Koya the town is surrounded by eight peaks said to resemble the petals of a lotus. Symbolism is everywhere as this is the center of Shingon Buddhism; a sect brought from China in 814 by the priest Kukai, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi. There are 114 temples in the town and 53 of them offer “shukubo” or temple lodging. Guests are invited to participate in daily prayer, meditation and other practices.
As the train left Osaka it also left behind throngs of 9 to 5, black-suited salarymen. Those that remained were bound for Koyasan. Speeding away from the city, each mile of the Japanese countryside became more green and idyllic. Tile-roofed houses with manicured gardens produced fields of rice, squash and onions. As the train climbed higher clouds tangled in the bamboo on the hillsides. Wild wisteria bloomed. It was magic.
The train tracks end at the base of Mt. Koya; from there visitors take a “cable car.” This isn’t your regular cable car but rather a cog-wheeled funicular that ascends the hill at a 45° angle. Everyone from the train rushes into the “cars” and up it climbs. At the top buses wait to take you into town. Once you get the hang of it; it’s all very organized. As there is only one street, the red buses turn left and the blue buses turn right; they loop around at the end and come back to the train station. Very easy!
In town the national holiday “Golden Week” was coming to a close; visitors were getting ready to leave. As Koyasan is not on the tourist circuit most visitors are nationals who come to worship at the Shingon temples or escape the heat of summer in Osaka. There is but one main street and only a handful of shops and restaurants.There are instead exquisite examples of 9th century religious architecture and miles and miles of tree covered hills and flowers. In 2007, UNESCO declared Koyasan an International Heritage Site.
My stay was at the Yochiin Temple; a breathtakingly serene compound built in 831. Through the massive gates that lock each night, the courtyard contains a tranquil Zen rock garden. Guests stay in tatami rooms with shoji screens; my only furniture was a low black lacquered table. Using a cushion one sits on the floor, eats on the floor and sleeps on the floor. I found it very comfortable and loved the sweet smell of tatami. Downstairs the men’s and women’s toilet area is separated as are the baths. Most of Japan is volcanic; hot springs and baths are everywhere including Buddhist temples! Meals are vegetarian and served in your room on footed lacquer trays by attending priests of the temple. Prayers are at 6:30am.
Twice a year special “Esoteric Initiations” are held at the Garan or main temple of the town; practitioners of Shingon come from all around the world to participate in these events. Open to all, I had the honor of going through the Esoteric Womb Initiation ceremony. Admittedly I did not understand exactly what I was doing as the whole ceremony was in Japanese, nevertheless the experience itself was so special it did not require translation.
From the enormous, ancient Daimon gates of the city to the quiet corners of the temple yard, Koyasan seems to have escaped time. No televisions can be heard. No one talks on cell phones. People seem content sitting; there is a sense of joy in performing simple tasks that are done with wrapped attention. I watched a nun wash dishes with such care - true dharma.
On the last day one of my exercises was tracing an ancient sutra; after somewhat mastering the technique I became totally caught up in the graceful brushstrokes glistening before me. When I finished I realized hours had passed without a single chattering thought. For the first time in a long time I felt the joy of a quiet mind. I stared off across the room and mused that maybe that is why Buddhism is called a practice; the learning is in the doing. Like the nun washing the dishes, it’s not what you do but how you do it and you must keep doing.