Kongōbu-ji at Kōya-san

Kongōbu-ji

Kongōbu-ji or the Temple of the Diamond Mountain is the head temple of Kōyasan Shingon Buddhism. The name used to refer to the entire community, now it specifically means this one complex.

Kongō-bu means "Diamond Mountain". Diamond is a Buddhist symbol of indestructibility. The ending -ji denotes a temple.

The first temple was built here in 816 by Kūkai. It was modified through the centuries, and then burned down and was rebuilt in 1863.

Kongobu-ji in Kōya-san.

Banryu-tei rock garden at Kongobu-ji in Kōya-san.

The Banryu-tei rock garden is the largest in Japan, over 2000 square meters in size. One hundred and forty granite blocks depict two dragons emerging from a sea of clouds to protect the temple.

Other topics in Japan:

Prehistoric Yamato

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Fodors Japan

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Kansai region, central Honshū — Kyōto, Nara, Kōya-san, Ise, and Ōsaka

Inari Taisha shrine in Kyōto.

Kyōto
Japanese tradition, shrines, temples, and food markets

Buddhist tomb markers in the enormous Okunoin cemetery at Kōya-san.

Kōya-san
Mountaintop Buddhist monastery complex, home of the Shingon sect

Daibutsu, the Great Buddha in the Tōdai-ji temple in Nara.

Nara
The Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji, sacred deer, Buddhist temples and Shintō shrines

Kofun, megalithic burial mounds in and around the ancient Japanese capital of Nara.

Kofun
Megalithic tombs of the legendary Emperors of prehistoric Japan

Meoto Iwa, the Wedded Rocks near Ise.

Ise
The "Wedded Rocks", the Grand Shrine, and the home of Shintō

Dōtonbori entertainment district in Osaka at night.

Osaka
Capsule Hotels, Amerika-mura, Dōtonbori, Den-Den Town, otaku culture

Inland Sea — Takamatsu, Naoshima and the art islands, Hiroshima

Fishing boats at Takamatsu.

Takamatsu
Inland Sea, Yashima Temple, Ritsurin Garden

Yayoi 'Yellow Pumpkin' on the Art Island of Naoshima

Naoshima
Art Island in the Seto Inland Sea

Itsukushima Shrine near Hiroshima

Hiroshima
Travel by Shinkansen, Itsukushima Shrine

Kyūshū — Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Sakurajima, Oita, Mount Aso

Yatai, tonkotsu ramen stand in Fukuoka

Fukuoka
The home of tonkotsu ramen, Kushida Shrine, and a special Buddhist service

Streetcar platforms at Nagasaki train station.

Nagasaki
Travel through Kyūshū, the harbor, temples, shrines, the Samurai Path, and a World War II air defense bunker

Sakurajima volcano with an ash plume at dusk, seen form Kagoshima harbor.

Kagoshima and Sakurajima
Japan's most active volcano, a World War II naval bunker, and exploring Kagoshima City

Shrine and torii at Usuki castle, near the Stone Buddhas.

Ōita
Prehistoric megalithic tombs and the Stone Buddhas of Usuki

Steam venting from Mount Aso.

Aso-san
Mount Aso, Japan's largest active volcano, with five central peaks in a caldera eighteen by twenty-five kilometers

Tōhoku region, northern Honshū — Nikkō, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Mount Bandai, Yamadera, Mount Haguro

Kanman ga fuchi at Nikkō.

Nikkō
Shrines, Temples, and Tokugawa Shōgun Tombs

The Five-Colored Lakes on the north slope of Mount Bandai near Aizu-Wakamatsu.

Southern Tōhoku
Aizu-Wakamatsu, Mount Bandai, the Five-Colored Lakes, Samurai and Daimyō Castles, Prehistoric Tombs, Modern Art, Medical History, and Kitakata

Sutra repository at Yamadera.

Yamadera
Risshaku-ji Cliff-Face Temple Complex and its 1000-Step Path, Minimoura Forest Path to Buddhist Monastery and Shugendō Training Area, Yamagata City

Suga waterfall at Mount Haguro.

Mount Haguro
The 2,446-Step Path, Suga Waterfall, Haguromachi Town and Shugendō Retreats, Shrines and Temples

Kantō region — Tōkyō and nearby

Asakusa, in Tōkyō
Buddhist temples, Shintō shrines, markets, back streets, and the riverfront

Izakya in Shinjuku, Tōkyō.

Shinjuku Izakaya
Small taverns in Omoide Yokochō or "Memory Alley" at Shinjuku Station in Tōkyō

Electronics shops in the Akihabara district in Tōkyō.

Akihabara, Tōkyō's Electric Town
Electronics parts and tools, the otaku lifestyle, cosplay, anime, and manga

Ameya-Yokochō market in Tōkyō.

Ameya-Yokochō Market, in Tōkyō
Busy market area under the Yamanote Line tracks

Ueno Park in Tōkyō.

Ueno Park, in Tōkyō
Temples, shrines, museums, and a mid-city kofun or megalithic burial mound

Wild fashions in Takeshita-dori in Harajuku, Tōkyō, Japan

Harajuku, in Tōkyō
Fashion, trends, and kawaii in Takeshita Street, Omotesandō, and Cat Street

Shibuya Crossing in Tōkyō.

Shibuya, in Tōkyō
Shibuya Crossing, commerce, entertainment, and shopping

Graves of the 47 Rōnin at Sengaku-ji in Tōkyō.

The 47 Rōnin
Samurai, Bushidō, and Revenge

Imperial Shrine of Yasukuni in Tōkyō.

Imperial Shrine of Yasukuni
Japan's shrine to its war dead

Daibutsu, enormous bronze Buddha statue near Kamakura.

Kamakura
Daibutsu, the Great Buddha, "Five Mountains" Zen Buddhist temples, and samurai

Background and Logistics

Introduction
Getting to Japan, and some business trips to Tōkyō and Misawa

Torii or sacred gates at Okazaki Shintō shrine in Kyōto.

Shintō and Buddhism
Religion in Japan

Katakana and Hiragana
The Japanese kana scripts aren't that hard to learn!

Railroad staff using 'Point and Call' to eliminate errors.

Logistics
"Point and Call", blue traffic signals, finding addresses, identity stamps, train tickets

JADE cipher machines.

Cryptanalysis and the Nuclear Bombs
The Allies knew of Japan's suicidal defense plans

Complex Japanese toilet control panel.

Japanese Toilets
They're possibly far more complicated than you expect

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