A Day in Koyasan

We all slept surprising well given that we shared a room, slept on the floor, and were woken up to gongs from the temple across the street in the middle of the night. Neighbors … what can you do?

We woke early enough to join the monks in their morning prayer at 6a or really, watch the monks in their morning prayer. No photos were allowed … their prayer hall was amazingly ornate with lanterns, carvings, candles, and other works of art. About 20-ish Temple guests participated; we were seated in chairs facing the altar. Two monks (our Front Desk Manager from the day before was the junior monk) with their backs to us chanted and sang for about half an hour. It was a very peaceful experience. Still glad I was sitting in a chair on not on my knees.

With our morning prayer complete (that does count for us too, doesn’t it?), we decided to skip the Temple’s offering of breakfast and head out for coffee and whatever else we could find. First task, make it to the front door in the oversized slippers we had been provided to move around in the temple and put our street shoes on while minding to not step on their porch.

Second task, find breakfast. Alfresco dining at FamilyMart! Hot coffee. White bread. And my hand-dandy packet of peanut butter that goes everywhere with me. Thank you Deborah for graciously agreeing to let me share these photos and all the rest!

This giant temple was across the street from our temple in the Danjo Garland Sacred Temple Complex.

We walked this path many times while in Koyasan from Danjo Garan to the central part of the town.

Today, Deborah and I were walking through and across town to the Okunoin Cemetary to join a morning tour. Wow. What an AMAZING experience. But it deserves it’s own post. Stay tuned.