Mount Koya – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

Fudo Myo-o and the Fudo Hall (Koyasan Part 3)

Susan Spann Blog April 20, 2018Buddhism, Fudo, Fudo Myo-o, Fudo-do, Japan, Koya, Koyasan, Mount Koya, Shingon

Founded by the monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) during the 9th century, Danjo Garan continues to function as the heart of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism in Japan. While the entire kōya (mountaintop valley) is considered a single “temple,” the complex at Danjo Garan holds many important historical structures that still serve a role in modern Buddhist worship – including the Fudō-do, or Fudō Hall. (To read this series on Koya from the beginning, click here.) In Shingon Buddhist belief, Fudō Myō-ō is an incarnation of the Buddha and the leader of the wisdom kings. He protects the living and guides them toward enlightenment.

A Visit to Kongobuji, Part 1

Susan Spann Blog February 21, 2018February 19, 2018Buddhism, Japan, Kongobuji, Koyasan, Mount Koya, Shingon

Originally constructed in 1593 on the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kongobuji is currently the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism in Japan. Kongobuji means “Temple of the Diamond Mountain Peak.” The temple acquired this name after joining with another temple (which was also the time when it became the head temple of Koyasan Shingon).

Preparing to Hit the Mountain Roads

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog February 19, 2018February 19, 2018100 Summits, Ekoin, hiking, Japan, Koyasan, Mount Koya

Although I’m currently only halfway through chemotherapy, I’ve already started planning my 100 Summits climbs. The hyakumeizan are scattered across all four of Japan’s major islands, meaning each mountain presents not only a physical challenge but a logistical one as well.

The Graves of Okunoin

Susan Spann Blog November 2, 2017November 8, 2017cemetery, graves, Japan, Koya, Mount Koya, Okunoin

Okunoin – “the temple at the end” is Japan’s largest cemetery. Sacred to the Shingon Buddhist sect (though non-Buddhists can be buried there, as long as they believe in the teachings of Kōbō Daishi), the cemetery has over 250,000 graves and monuments, the oldest of which date to at least the ninth century (if not before). The grave monument above dates to 1375, and marks the resting place of a Buddhist nun. According to legend, if you lay your ear to the stone, you can hear the screams of people suffering in hell. I admit, I did not try. While I’m not superstitious, there

Kōyasan: The Heart of Shingon Buddhism in Japan

Susan Spann Blog June 30, 2017November 8, 2017Buddhism, Ekoin, Esoteric Buddhism, Japan, Koya, Koyasan, Mount Koya, Mt. Koya, Shingon

Yesterday, I returned to the summit of Kōyasan (Mount Kōya), one of Japan’s many sacred places (and the setting for my sixth Hiro Hattori Mystery, Trial on Mount Koya).