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The Great Pagoda (Daito) is the most striking structure within the Garan complex in the western central part of Koyasan. The pagoda stands over 150 feet tall (48.5 meters). These pilgrims, who travel as a group in their white garb and are accompanied…

The high roof covers a large bronze bell that is rung hourly. It can be heard throughout the entire town. When Kukai founded Koyasan in the early ninth century, he sought contributions to build a similar bell and argued that temple bells are a vital…

This long path leads from the Kongobuji temple to the Garan, which is a complex of buildings such as large pagodas and halls for worship. There are several signs like this one in Koyasan (often with their idiosyncratic English renderings) that show…

A carved dragon such as this one can be found adorning many temple buildings in Japan.

At the end of a long flight of stairs, the two structures to the left flank the entrance to the Kongobuji complex. The main temple is to the right just out of the photo.

This temple complex is the headquarters for the Koyasan Shingon denomination. The founder Kukai seems to have built a structure in this location back in the 9th century; the present buiding is only a few centuries old. Next door to the temple is a…

This is one of the more imposing old gates on the main street in Koyasan.