• Osaka - Begin your journey from Osaka with an English-speaking driver in a private vehicle to the sacred Mt. Koya! The trip from Osaka to Mt. Koya takes approximately 2 hours.
• Koyasan Okunoin - Important Notice: Access to the Okunoin Torodo (Lantern Hall) will be closed for restoration from November 18th, 2024, to the end of August 2025.

This is the heart of Mt. Koya. Kobo Daishi (Kukai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism and a highly revered figure in Japan’s religious history, is laid to rest here. The path to Okunoin is lined with the graves of many notable figures, stretching several hundred meters through the forest. Your guide will share fascinating stories about these historical personalities.

• Kongobu-ji Temple - This is the main headquarters of the Shingon Sect, which has 4,000 temples across Japan and over 10 million followers worldwide. Visitors can admire religious artifacts, fusuma sliding door paintings, and a stunning rock garden symbolizing two dragons soaring among the clouds.
• Koyasan Danjo Garan - One of the two most sacred sites on Mt. Koya. In the 9th century, Mt. Koya was established on this very site. Kobo Daishi conducted a groundbreaking ceremony here and dedicated his life to building Danjo Garan. This sacred area includes nearly twenty different structures, including the impressive Konpon Daito. Your guide will explain the significance of these structures.
• Koyasan Reihokan Museum - The Reihokan Museum (霊宝館, Reihōkan) was created to preserve the religious and cultural treasures of Koyasan. The entrance hall is inspired by Byodoin Temple in Uji, and it features three exhibition halls for both permanent and temporary displays.

The museum’s collection includes thousands of religious artworks. The permanent exhibition showcases statues, mandalas (paintings representing metaphysical maps of the cosmos), and various other religious tools and paintings, with the most notable being the scroll depicting the “Reclining Image of Sakyamuni Buddha on His Last Day.” Additionally, a rotating temporary exhibition offers a seasonal selection from the museum’s collection.

• Koyasan Daishi Kyokai - Daishi Kyokai (大師教会, Daishi Kyōkai) serves as the administrative center of Shingon Buddhism, responsible for disseminating the teachings of Kobo Daishi, the sect’s founder. The complex includes two buildings: Henjoden, a traditional temple hall built in 1915 dedicated to Kobo Daishi, and a modern building for administration, lectures, and training.

Visitors can engage in activities at Daishi Kyokai, such as receiving Buddhist precepts (jukai) or copying Buddhist scriptures (shakyo). No advance reservations are necessary.

• Tokugawa’s Mausoleum - The Tokugawa Mausoleum (徳川家霊台, Tokugawa-ke Reidai) on Koyasan was constructed in 1643 by the third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu to provide his family with a mausoleum near Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum. It comprises two buildings that enshrine Iemitsu’s grandfather Ieyasu and father Hidetada, the first two Tokugawa shoguns.

The mausoleum’s two identical buildings took twenty years to complete and were built in the lavish style of the early Edo Period, featuring elegant sloping roofs, rich ornamentation, intricate carvings, lacquer, and gold leaf. The two buildings stand side by side, with the one on the right enshrining Ieyasu and the one on the left Hidetada.

• Osaka - Return to Osaka comfortably in a private vehicle with your English-speaking driver. The journey back to Osaka takes about 2 hours.

• Private vehicle
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from ‘What to expect’ list
• English Speaking Driver

• Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
• You cannot combine tour groups

Planning to reside or already in Osaka and have the urge to see the holy Mt. Koya? This drive journey from Osaka to Mt. Koya is tailored for you!

This personalized and adjustable drive journey ensures you savor the sight of the world’s most revered mountains without the stress of coordinating trains or buses. This driving tour is fashioned for solitary travelers who wish to relish the places at their pace. Your personal chauffeur will assist you in traversing comfortably and elegantly. Once your excursion concludes, your chauffeur will drive you back to Osaka, enabling you to carry on with your Japanese explorations.

If you’re dwelling in Osaka and hope to enjoy some serene moments away from the metropolitan hustle and bustle, then this tour of Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture suits you perfectly!

Attention: This tour caters to solitary travelers requiring exclusive transportation only. This tour does not include a guide, and you won’t be eligible to ask for recommendations either from your driver or Japan Guide Agency.

• There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.
• Only one reservation per group allowed. You cannot combine multiple reservations into one group.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.