Many valuable religious art works
Mt. Koya is famous for being the site where the monk Kukai settled to start spreading Shingon Buddhism. Known as a sacred land for Japanese Buddhism, there are 117 temples located within the mountains. In 2007, Mt. Koya was even registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site as a part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. To preserve the cultural properties belonging to the 117 temples on Mt. Koya, the Koyasan Reihokan Museum was established in 1921. Starting with Kongobu-ji Temple, over 28,000 valuable artifacts (if including non-designated artifacts, the total would be over 50,000) of those mountain temples which included 21 National Treasures and 143 Important Cultural Properties were stored in the museum. Special exhibitions and permanent exhibitions are on display throughout the year so that the museum is a facility where you can catch a glimpse of religious art pertaining to Japanese Buddhist culture. Also, the museum’s main building contains Registered Tangible Cultural Properties with the Daihozo (Large Treasury) itself, which was built in 1961, being nationally registered as a Tangible Cultural Property. The refined exterior of the building is also one of the highlights.
The World Heritage site of Mt. Koya
If planning to sightsee at Koyasan Reihokan Musuem, you will want to visit the temples of Mt. Koya and the front path to those temples. The front approach continuing on to Mt. Koya that has been known as a path of worship since ancient times is also used as a hiking course and is a road that has a refreshing atmosphere. Also, among the 117 temples on Mt. Koya, you can stay overnight at 53 of these temples which are known as shukubou or temple guesthouses. There are various temples where you can taste vegetarian cuisine, view gardens and even enjoy some sake. You can spend a soothing time at the accommodations on the tranquil Mt. Koya, plus enjoy that mountain hike in the bracing early morning. We would like to recommend it to anyone who wants to refresh body and soul, no matter the religious affiliation.