I have been asked
countless times about how to get to Mt. Koya or how to arrange
a stay in a temple at Mt. Koya. Since the trips I've been on
were arranged by others, I had no answers. I still don't have
many, but here's what I've been able to come up with.
Getting to Mt. Koya:
From Namba station
in Osaka, take the express on the Nankai Dentetsu Railway Nankai
Koya Line from Osaka Namba station to Gokuraku-bashi station.
It costs under a thousand yen and takes about an hour and a half.
From Gokurakubashi station you can transfer to the Nankai Koya-san
cable car to Koya-san. If you feel like it, you can walk, instead
of taking the cable car. I understand it's a beautiful walk.
It's best to make reservations before you visit, and this is
especially true if you're planning your visit during a festival
or holiday period. The Tourist Information Centre is near the
cable car station at the top, and they can help you find a place
to stay. The telephone number is: 0736-56-2616.
Temple Accommodations
(shukubo) at Mt. Koya:
Houzen-in Temple (Tel 0736-56-2658 / Fax 0736-56-4556)
Price: from 9000 yen per person including breakfast and dinner.
The website is in Japanese.
Johoku-in Temple (Tel 0736-56-2109 / Fax 0736-56-3475)Email:
koya-jfk@msp.co.jp Price: from 7000 yen per person including
dinner and breakfast. The website is also in Japanese.
Renge jou in Temple
(Tel 0736-56-2233 / Fax 0736-56-4743)
