Koyasan

Here are some photos of places around Koyasan which we also visited on our 2nd day there. The roads are dotted with temples and we didn't even bother to get the tickets to visit all the famous ones cause just wandering around was enjoyable enough for us. For example the photo above of torii gates leading into the woods are not even on our map of places to visit. I just saw them and decided to follow them into the woods. 

Some of the interesting temples include this one of the red Jizo. It's kinda like a child god inside, which is all red in colour. It's just a small shrine, and when you step in, you just felt like it is a child god cause it reminds you of toys and children stories.

 

There was also this great big pond filled with red bridges all around. It looked like a Chinese garden. And if you follow the bridges, it leads you to an island where a shrine can be found. Very pretty. Plus it makes a good photo shot

This temple above is one of my favourite because of the colours surrounding it. It felt very Buddhist and old, made mainly of wood. The mist hanging around it also gives it that mystical feel to it.

This above is one of the great gate found in Koyasan. And if you look to the left, you can see an orange dressed monk there. You see lots of lone monk and pilgrim people all over Koyasan. The monks especially makes a great photo take. There is also the famous Daimon which looks something like the gates above, but bigger and older. It was so big that I didn't have a good shot of it to share here. 

Above is a statue at the side of the road just at the bottom of Koyasan Train Station. It marks the first sight as you slowly enter into the mystical Mount Koya....

If you're wondering why all my pictures have so much mist in them, its because the temperature while we were there was around 16.7 degrees celsius. And it was slightly rainy. So there was a thick mist hanging around. 

There aren't many shops open while we were there. I saw these on my first day there, and thought they were very nice. But the price was super expensive, so I took a photo instead since the shop was closed. Maybe one day I'll make them at home :)

And for some reason, food taste extremely nice in Koyasan. We had lunch at one of the local shop. I had Oyako-Don, which is chicken and egg rice shown in the photo on top. My husband had udon, and even his udon looks lovely with clear broth and colourful food inside.

I also ordered pickled fish sushi. I really love these cause they reminded me of Acat Ikan which my mum used to make in Penang. These are famous sushi in Wakayama area as well and you can also buy them almost anywhere here. 

Lastly we also bough a bunch of what looks like cakes and sweets from a shop. I wonder if they are for prayers like some of the chinese candies are. But one of my Japanese colleague confirmed that they are sweets. They were pretty good. We sat outside the shop eating them.

Signing off now with a photo of me and my host Koyakun. 

It was a great trip! I hope to be back soon Wakayama!