Our travels Video and Pics Cycling Walking About us News Part 4 : Koyasan Friday 7 September We leave at nine on our long voyage to Koyasan. The first train we have to take is a busy commuter train to Shin Osaka. From there we take the subway to Namba station. At this station we buy a lunch to eat in the train. Nice fresh bread from a bakery. From here we take the train to Gokurakubashi. In the one and a half hour this trip takes we fold a lot of new cranes. This train is not very suitable for our hobby, because the benches are sideways and there is not enough room to place the origami paper. The cablecar to Koyasan is not yet there, but is soon coming down. On top we have to take a bus to the Daisen In, the monastery we will sleep in tonight. Koyasan is a mountain, where at 900 meters high 60 monasteries are grouped together. This community is founded by Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Shingon Buddhism in Japan. In the 8th century he brought this faith from China to Japan. More then 10 million people believe Kobo Daishi is not dead but in eternal meditation inOkunoin. That is why many japanese people bought a grave in this neighbourhood. About two kilometer from the holy spot the graveyard strts with the graves of the Samurai, high civil servants, but also company graves where it is a sort of condition earned with your highranked job. Untill 1872 women were not allowed here, they had to stay behind at the entrance gate to the village. But now men and women come together to the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi. The pelgrims are mostly dressed in white and carry bells with them. At the mausoleum candles and incense are burnt and prayers are said loud (it sounds more like a song). Despite the pooring rain we go to visit the cemetery. Afterall we bought an umbrella in Tokyo. But with this amount of water this umbrella is not really helpfull. There is a sort of river forming along the path and the graveyard turned into a swamp. As we are already soaked we go the entire way to the Okunoin. A few pieces of incense and a candle burnt for my mam and we go back to the monastery. We are totally soaked when we arrive. But the monks just made some hot green tea. As we drink this in the room of Bart, Klaas and Rob. Antoinette arrives and is surprised we are drinking tea and no alcohol. At six dinner is being served. We didnīt expect much, but it looks good. The monks eat (and cook) vegetarian, that means no meat, no fish and no strong spices like onion or garlic. Vegetarian because all creatures are equal and the onion and garlic can be a distraction while meditating. As said the meal looks good, all sort of small dishes and a simmering pot. But the taste.... when you donīt put spices in tofu it taste like tofu, and tofu has no taste. All dishes are a kind of Tofu and that doesnīt make things better. After dinner we play the game of the icebear club. (It is a game with dice, and it can take hours to figger out.) We go to bed early because breakfast is at seven, just after the morningservice at six. Saturday 8 September Morningservice was held around 6 ,we didnīt attend. At 7 breakfast is served on the ground. Not many people like it. There are some pickled greens and tofu. I am happy the miso soup does taste like something, with some white rice and green tea the hunger is gone. Because this morning the sun shines the group decide to stay two hours longer and in Koyasan. Time to make some great graveyard pictures. The pines are giving up their moisture and the sun makes the hole picture a bit mistique. Some statues are still in the water, but on some the sun is shining. Mosquitos like all this moisture and huge flocks flie from pine to pine. When one even thinks of stopping they target you. But despite that we made some great picture before we leave to Osaka. Part 1 : Tokyo Part 2 : Japanese Alps Part 3 : Kyoto Part 5 : Osaka Part 6 : Hiroshima Part 7 : Aso vulcano Part 8 : Nagasaki Our travels Video and Pics Cycling Walking About us News