Spots in Mt. Koya / Ryujin Onsen / Kudoyama Area

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Mt. Koya / Ryujin Onsen / Kudoyama

Category

Kongobuji Aji Kan

4.5

515 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Ito-gun Koyacho Koyasan 132

Absolutely loved the rock garden and the paintings in the sliding doors. This has become one of my favourite temples visited in Japan. It is large and a great one to explore as there is a lot to see...
Koyasan Reihokan Museum

4.5

164 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkouyachou Kouyasan 306

This facility preserves and displays invaluable Buddhist imagery and paintings from temples on Mt. Koya, such as the Kongobu-ji temple, the head temple of Shingon Buddhism. Opened in 1921, the museum's collection currently includes some 28 thousand important works of art, including 21 National Treasures, 143 Important Cultural Properties, and 16 Wakayama Prefecturally Designated Cultural Properties. During the extremely popular Great Treasure Hall Exhibition in summer, the museum displays the Eight Great Youths, a sculpture designated a National Treasure that was carved by Unkei, the greatest Buddhist imagery maker of the Kamakura period.

Koyasan recently celebrated it 1200th anniversary, and some of the treasures in this museum are that old, loaned from some of the 100 monasteries on this mountain. The museum is small and so displays...
Michinoeki (Roadside Station) Kaki no Sato Kudoyama

4.0

74 Reviews

Transportation

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkudoyamachou Nyugou 5-5

A rest area located in Kudoyama Town, Ito County, Wakayama Prefecture which is a popular destination from which to explore the area and as a place to buy local souvenirs. The facility hosts the World Heritage Information Center, where you can learn about the World Heritage sites and history of Kudoyama, an area connected to Warring States period samurai Sanada Yukimura. There’s also an outdoor play area with large playground equipment and a market selling local agricultural and specialty products direct from area farmers. The rest area’s bakery and café has an eat-in space where you can enjoy fresh-baked bread, pastas, and other meals.

農産物直売所では、大根、ニンジン、キャベツなどの新鮮野菜が豊富に揃っていました。また、切り花、タケノコや山菜が春を感じさせてくれました。なお、レストランはありませんが、イートインコーナーのあるベーカリーでは、焼き立てパンだけではなく、アイスクリームやフレッシュジュースも提供しています。
Negoro-ji Temple

4.5

74 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Iwadeshi Negoro 2286

Negoro-ji is a complex of temples in Negoro, Iwade City. It is the head temple of the Shingi Shingon sect founded over 900 years ago. The large wooden pagoda within the complex has been designated a national treasure and is the only large wooden stupa to have been designated as such. Visitors are welcome to enter inside and look around. The temple is also a famous spot for cherry blossom viewing.

日本最大の国宝の多宝塔が有名です。駐車場に車を止めて入山料を納め進んでいきます。階段を進んでいくと広い境内、そして正面には江戸末期に再建された大伝法堂があります。その左手に室町時代に建立され、豊臣秀吉の焼き討ちを免れた巨大な多宝塔があります。高さ３７ｍと迫力があります。その他にも、大師堂や行者堂、聖天堂などの重要文化財の建物もあります。また、紅葉が素晴らしく、秋だけでなく、青モミジの時期も素晴らし...
Niutsuhime Shrine

4.5

65 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkatsuragichou Kamiamano 230

You’ll find this shrine along Prefectural Route 4 in Kamiamano, Katsuragi Town. Niutsuhime’s child is enshrined here, and it is said that Takanomiko, enshrined in the second hall, transformed into a hunter and led Kobo Daishi to Mt. Koya, who then borrowed Niutsuhime’s holy land to erect a shrine atop the mountain and teach the secrets of Shingon esoteric Buddhism. It is customary to worship here before ascending Mt. Koya.

This is the obligatory stop for the travels up the Mt Koya. You pray and appease the local mountain deity. There are old cedar trees, and of course the bridge. The temple design is regular shinto.
Koyasan Daishikyokai Temple sutra copying and precept instruction

4.0

90 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkouyachou Kouyasan 347

Visitors to sacred Mt. Koya can engage in a variety of esoteric Shingon practices, such as copying sutras and being instructed in the precepts of Buddhism. Sutra copying can be conducted after learning how it is performed. First, participants rinse their mouths, after which they light incense and perform a ceremony before copying the Heart Sutra. Sutra copying costs 1,000 yen and may be dedicated to someone. Being instructed in the precepts requires a 500-yen entry fee. During the instruction in the sutras, visitors listen to the 10 Bodhisattva Precepts in a pitch dark temple hall. Both sutra copying and instruction in the precepts may be participated in with a same-day reservation.

This is a big hall where many people can come together to worship the founder of Shogun Buddhism in Japan and of Koyasan,Kobo Daishi Kukai (774-834)
Kudoyama Sanada Museum

4.0

54 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkudoyamachou Kudoyama 1452-4

A museum located in Kudoyama, Ito County, Wakayama Prefecture which opened in 2016 and which is dedicated to presenting the history of the Warring States period samurai Sanada Masayuki, his son Sanada Yukimura, and grandson Sanada Daisuke. Informational panels and videos present the life of Yukimura during his time in Kudoyama, the area where he spent the majority of his life. The museum also displays paintings and calligraphy by the three men as well as a folding screen which depicts Yukimura fighting in the summer campaign of the Siege of Osaka. In addition to a standing exhibition, the museum also holds special exhibitions irregularly.

南海九度山駅から徒歩10分の静かな住宅街にある真田親子に関するミュージアム。昌幸の武田家臣から親子の九度山蟄居を挟み幸村の夏の陣までがパネルや映像を使って展示されている。蟄居中の屋敷内をイメージした展示では薄暗い中で囲炉裏に座る真田親子の等身大人形がある。伊達家家臣の片倉重綱に子息と息女を託した記述があった事は東北人には有難い。企画展としつ別室で真田の忍びに関する展示があり、大河ドラマで登場した出...
Roadside Station Kushigaki no Sato

3.5

14 Reviews

Transportation

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkatsuragichou Taki 53-1

Located along National Route 480, Kushigaki no Sato Roadside Station opened in 2017. Its primary mission is to serve as a community center for the local residents, and it offers a large rest area where visitors can eat and drink. In addition to specialties as dried persimmons, the roadside station deals in a wide variety of local food ingredients, which make suitable souvenirs of the area. Fukumimi Bakery, a branch of a bakery in Iwade City, sells varieties of bread that can be found nowhere else. There is also a restaurant where visitors can try Kishu Plum Udon, a variety of noodle with plums kneaded into the dough for noodles. The various shops at this roadside station are closed on different days.

2021年のGWにリニューアルオープンしたばかりだったそうで、キグリカフェとパン工房が新規オープンしたとのこと。ランチに寄りました。道の駅は果物を中心にしてるそうですが、季節が合わなかったのか、他の道の駅とそれほど変わった点は見いだせず。カフェの店内は白い壁で清潔感があり、天井も高さがあって広々とした印象です。お天気が良かったのでテラスでクアトロフォルマッジ（四種チーズ）のピザを注文し...
Okunoin Temple

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkouyachou Kouyasan

"One of the Two Great Holy Sites of Mt. Koyasan, this land is where Kukai (Kobo Daishi) died while meditating. There is also a mausoleum where Kukai is said to still be meditating today. On the two-kilometer approach path that connects to the mausoleum features cedar trees which are 700 years old, as well as over 200,000 gravestones and memorial monuments of royalty to commoners. The toro lantern tower in front of the mausoleum is a must-see. At the front on the inside, the Kishin lanterns devoted by Kishin shonin and the Shirakawa lanterns devoted by the Emperor Shirakawa have remained burning for over 1000 years as an ""unquenched flame."" The area ahead of the Gobyo bridge closest to the mausoleum is holy land, so taking photographs is prohibited."
Roadside Station Kinokawa River Manyo no sato

3.0

26 Reviews

Transportation

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkatsuragichou Kubo 487-2

This roadside station is approximately three minutes by car from JR Nishi-Kaseda Station. It's located on National Route 24 in the area where 15 of the poems in the eighth century Manyoshu collection were composed. Koyasan is to the west of the facility, and there are mountains to the north and south, too. The Kinokawa River is right nearby, making it a starting point for hiking, fishing for ayu sweet fish, and other leisure activities. The local favorite persimmon leaf sushi can be purchased as a souvenir from their shop, and it's also available as part of the meal sets at their restaurant.

小ぢんまりとした道の駅で、農産物直売所のほかレストランもありました。塩で締めたサバを酢飯と一緒に柿の葉で包んだ「柿の葉寿司」が名物です。紀ノ川に面しており、緑地やサイクリングロードが整備されているので、のんびりとした風景でした。
Kongo Sanmai-in

4.5

47 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkouyachou Kouyasan 425

Hojo Masako ordered Kongo Sanmai-in to be built while in mourning for her husband, Minamoto no Yoritomo, and her son, Sanetomo. It is the site of numerous historical Cultural Properties of Japan and the temple is one of the core causes of Mt. Koya being registered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors will be overpowered by the lingering atmosphere of the Kamakura-period that resides in this place. It is five-minutes by cable car from the Nankai Railway Gokurakubashi Station.

While it’s not necessarily in the itineraries of many of travel to Kansai for the first time, Koyasan is definitely worth a trip away from the giant tourist crowds at Osaka and Wakayama upon a repeat...
Tama Museum Kishi Station

4.0

49 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Kinokawa City Kishigawa-cho, Wakayama Prefecture

"The terminal station of the Wakayama Electric Railway Kshigawa Line, it is looked after by the honorable permanent station master ""Tama"" who has become a daimyojin (god). Currently, calico cats (three-colored), ""Nitama (Tama II"" and ""Yontama (Tama IV)"" are in charge. The cute-looking catshaped station building is characterized by its great use of natural materials, such as Kishuwoods in the cypress bark roof. It also features ""Tama Cafe"" and ""Tama Shop"" where original goods are sold. The line is said to have been laid for ""Three-Shrine Visits"" to Nichizengu Shrine, Kamayama Shrine, and Itakiso Shrine sitting quietly aside the tracks. And there are unique trains, such as the ""Ichigo(Strawberry) Train"", the ""Omocha(Toys) Train"", and the ""Tama Train"", which have particular about the design of details. Overall, it's a fun local line to ride."

Green tea and ice cream here are very good. In the shop, there are also souvenirs about cats for sale. Have quite a lot of seats, clean, comfortable
Roadside Station Katsuragi Nishi

3.5

17 Reviews

Transportation

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkatsuragichou Kasedahigashi 1271-28

This roadside station is about 15 minutes by car from Hashimoto Interchange and 20 minutes from Iwade Negoro Interchange. It's on National Route 24 and is the only parking area on the Keinawa Expressway. Katsuragi Town has a very temperate climate, perfect for producing chestnuts, peaches, and a variety of other fruit. Their shop sells seasonal produce grown by local farmers, as well as souvenirs such as walnut kurumi mochi sweets (a local favorite), fruit juice, and Wakayama ramen noodles. Their restaurant serves Wakayama ramen too, as well as persimmon leaf sushi.

お気に入りのポイントです。ゴルフ帰りに楽しみに行ったのですが、 2023年01月21日現在はレストラン、売店が工事中でした。ご注意を。
Miedo

4.0

44 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Ito-gun Koyacho Koyasan 152

"The Miedo is a 15.1-meter-depth by 15.1-meter-wide building with a hogyozukuri-style pent roof. An image of Kobo Daishi's ten great disciples is hung in the hall's outer sanctum. The hall, which is located behind Kongobuji Temple's Kondo Hall, was originally built to enshrine Kobo Daishi's personal Buddha statue. After his death, however, an image of him painted by Shinnyo Shinno, one of Kobo Daishi's ten principle disciples, was enshrined in the hall. This is the origin of the name of the hall, which means ""image hall."" The Miedo is considered to be the most sacred place in Koyasan, so regular visitors are not normally able to view the image. However, the outer sanctuary is currently opened to the general public on March 21st in the lunar calendar every year during a ceremony held on the night before anniversary of the death of Kobo Daishi."

壇上伽藍で根本大塔のすぐわきに建っている風格のある建物です。弘法大師・空海の肖像（御影）が祀られている聖域とのことです。御影は一般に公開されず、特別の法要で一部の高僧のみに御開帳される秘仏だそうです。
Roadside Station Negoro Sakura no Sato

3.5

17 Reviews

Transportation

Wakayama Pref. Iwadeshi Oshigawa 37-1

Negoro Sakura no Sato Roadside Station is located along Prefectural Route 63, about a ten-minute drive from the Sennan Interchange. Located along the border with Osaka Prefecture, it is the entry point for sightseeing in Wakayama Prefecture. Many kinds of vegetables grown by local farmers are available for sale, including Negoro Daito green peppers, which are larger than other varieties. Other famous local products, including ornamental flowers such as carnations and snapdragons, are available in abundance. In the vicinity are Wakayama Prefecture Botanical Park Ryokka Center and Negoroji Temple, the main temple of Shingi Shingon Buddhism.

和歌山にたまに出かけます。今回はミカンと苺を買いに出かけました。まず最初の道の駅です。ここでプリンを買いました。限定なので早めに買わないとなくなります。250円です。濃厚な味わいです。質感も若干固めのしっかりした感じです。ここではみかんを買いました。お安い。
Niu Kanshobu-jinja Shrine

3.5

43 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Itogunkudoyamachou Jisonin 835

This shrine is located in Jison-in in Kudoyama Town and was built in 816 by Kobo-Daishi (Kukai). Legend has it that he was guided to Mt. Koya by Kariba Myojin’s white and black dogs, and these dogs are now worshiped as divine messengers who guide the living. The area was designated a World Heritage Site in 2004 called the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”

ご祭神は、丹生都比売大神、高野御子大神、大食都比売大神、市杵島比売大神、天照大御神、誉田別大神、天児屋根大神で旧郷社とのことです。慈尊院の奥にあります。ユネスコの世界遺産『紀伊山地の霊場と参詣道』の構成資産の一部です。119段の石段の途中に町石・百八十町石があります。空海が創建したとのことです。
Roadside Station Seisyu no Sato

3.0

11 Reviews

Transportation

Wakayama Pref. Kinokawashi Nishinoyama 473

This roadside station is located about ten minutes by car from the Keinawa Expressway Kinokawa-Higashi Interchange. Its Flower Hill Museum complex designed by Kisho Kurokawa has an exhibition room with items and documents belonging to Hanaoka Seishu, the surgeon responsible for the world's first successful surgical removal of breast cancer by general anesthesia. Shunrinken, the surgeon's residence and clinic, has been relocated here. There's a realistic replication of surgery during the period as well as experiments with the anesthetic Tsusensan using mannequins and sound. There's a restaurant on the premises too.

江戸時代の外科医・華岡青洲の偉業をたたえる展示コーナーでは当時の手術道具などがあるほか、「紫雲膏」なる塗り薬も販売しています。また、敷地内にJAが運営する直売所が昨年オープンし、あわせて駐車場も拡張されたので利用しやすいです。
Kumagaiji Temple

4.5

25 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Ito-gun Koyacho Koyasan 501

This temple was established on the wishes of Prince Kazurawara, the third son of Emperor Kanmu. Although located in Koyasan, the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism, the temple is counted as one the unnumbered temples of the 25 Sacred Sites of Honen Shonin, the founder of Pure Land Buddhism. The temple, which currently serves as lodgings for temple visitors, is adjacent to the Ichinohashi-guchi bus stop that leads to Koyasan Okunoin Temple. The name of the temple comes from the Heian period soldier Kumagai Naozane, who appears in the Tale of the Heike. The temple is where Kumagai performed a memorial service for the young warrior Taira-no-Atsumori, who he slew in single combat. Notable monks such as Honen and Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land Buddhism) have also stayed at the temple. Honen, Shinran, and Naozane each carved statues of their images reflected in the surface of the temple's well during their visits. Each of these statues was enshrined in the temple's Enkodo Hall.

We stayed at Kumagaiji for one night and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. We were warmly welcomed and given all of the information that we needed. Our room was warm...
Yochiin Temple

4.0

25 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Ito-gun Koyacho Koyasan 293

This lodging temple located next to Koyasan's Chumon gate offers accommodations to visitors. The temple was founded during the Kamakura period by Imperial Prince Kakuho, the fourth son of Emperor Shirakawa. The temple would be visited by Emperor Gosaga, who was so impressed by the sight of the cherry blossoms reflected on the garden pond that it would lead to the characters in the temple's name being changed. The temple's main hall is a rare example of surviving Kamakura period building. The temple serves shojin ryori (the traditional vegetarian cuisine of Japanese Buddhist monks) as well as alcoholic beverages such as Japanese sake and beer. The temple is also conveniently located next to sightseeing spots such as the Danjo Garan and the Reihokan Museum. Visitors can invigorate their mind and body at the temple's early-morning religious services before heading off to enjoy sightseeing in Koyasan.

A very basic welcome in a poor English , all the building except the room is very cold, the room is the same, basic and poor, but with 2 good futons! No possibility to have a diner and shower...
Wakayama Prefecture Botanical Park, Ryokka Center

4.0

9 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Wakayama Pref. Iwadeshi Higashisakamoto 672

"This botanical garden to the east of Negoroji Temple is approximately four minutes by car from Iwade Negoro Interchange and about six minutes from Kinokawa Interchange. The ""Panorama Flower Bed"" in front of the green house and lawn features seasonal flowers and the area is dotted with plantings of roses, hydrangeas, and more. The southern part of garden has a lotus pond with bright pink blossoms you can view from their Ukimido area. They also hold lots of special programs including exhibitions and workshops."

着いた時間が早くまだ出勤中であったが、外景だけで先を急いだ。季節ごとに飽きさせない企画が用意されているようだが、場所がわかったので詳しくは次回の楽しみに。

Wakayama Mt. Koya / Ryujin Onsen / Kudoyama

Leisure / Hobbies Shopping Gourmet / Alcohol Style / Fashion Life / Living / Hospital Accommodations / Hot Spring Travel / Tourism Transportation

Wakayama Areas

Wakayama prefecture unites pilgrims, food lovers, and culture buffs in a tranquil corner of Japan at the base of the Kii Peninsula. The setting for many a Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail, Wakayama invites those in search of spirituality from one side of the prefecture to the other, from the 100-plus Buddhist temples of the sacred Mount Koya in the west to the inspiring temples of the Kumano Sanzan set among breathtaking nature in the east. Once the grueling hike is complete, make a beeline for Wakayama city to savor some of the country’s most delicious ramen noodles.