The Final Chapter of the Shikoku Pilgrimage - Completion Certificate.

DAY 35: After completing the pilgrimage to the 88 sacred sites of Shikoku, this morning we head to Toji Temple in Kyoto, and in the afternoon, we visit Kongobuji Temple in Mount Koya, marking the end of the pilgrimage to the three major sacred sites of Kobo Daishi. The five-story pagoda, standing at 55 meters, is the tallest wooden structure in Japan. On the west side, the 'Lotus Gate' is said to be where Kobo Daishi, in his later years, left Toji Temple for seclusion in Mount Koya. It is believed that Fudo Myo-o, feeling deep regret, appeared at this gate to bid farewell. With each step Daishi took, lotus flowers bloomed, and Fudo Myo-o tearfully watched him until he disappeared from sight. Daishi spent the rest of his life in Mount Koya and never returned to Toji Temple, attaining Buddhahood in Okunoin. Additionally, the 'Treasure House' (an important cultural property) by the lotus pond is a warehouse that stores esoteric Buddhist implements and precious scriptures. It is said that Ishikawa Goemon, the greatest thief in history, once attempted to steal from it but failed. Mount Koya was founded by Kobo Daishi in 816 AD, with Kongobuji Temple being the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect. It includes two major sacred sites: Okunoin and Danjo Garan. In the deepest part of Okunoin is the mausoleum (a place where great figures are enshrined), where people believe Daishi still lives, continuously praying and meditating for world peace and human happiness. For 1200 years, a meal offering ceremony has been held twice daily without interruption. Along the 2-kilometer pilgrimage path to the mausoleum, there are 700-year-old cedar trees and over 200,000 tombstones and memorial tablets of people from all walks of life, including famous warlords from the Sengoku period like Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobunaga. Transportation Costs: JR Kobe (Hyogo) - Kyoto ¥1110 JR Kyoto - Osaka - Namba ¥820 Nankai Electric Railway Namba - Hashimoto - Koyasan Station ¥1430 Bus Koyasan Station - Kongobuji Temple ¥360 Bus Okunoin - Koyasan Station ¥510 Nankai Electric Railway Koyasan Station - Hashimoto - Namba ¥1430 JR Namba - Kobe (Hyogo) ¥700 Additional Notes: Both Kongobuji Temple and Okunoin in Mount Koya have places to stamp pilgrimage books. You can receive a special Goshuin (stamp) commemorating the 1250th anniversary of Kobo Daishi's birth at Toji Temple and Kongobuji Temple (until December 31, 2024). After completing the pilgrimage to the 88 sacred sites of Shikoku and the pilgrimage to Kongobuji Temple and Okunoin, you can receive a 'Completion Certificate' at Toji Temple. Pilgrimage Sites Visited: Kyoto Kyoogokokuji (Toji Temple) Mount Koya Kongobuji Temple, Danjo Garan, Konpon Daito, Pilgrimage Path Stone Monument, Gobyo Bridge, Okunoin, Kobo Daishi's Mausoleum Accommodation: Toyoko INN Kobe Station North Exit, Kobe City Today's Cycling Distance: 0 km Total Cycling Distance: 1970 km