Koya-san is an alpine basin located in the mountains south of Osaka. It is the headquarters of the Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism. It was first settled in the year 816 by the monk Kukai, who usually referred to today by the name Kobodaishi.
The mountains seem, if anything, even more thinly settled than the Takayama region.
Pilgrims used to have to make an exhausting climb to reach Koya-san, but today it can easily be reached by riding in a crowded cable car which runs almost vertically up the side of the mountain.
Koya itself is a small town with 120 temples (and a few shrines.)
The bronze figure is Kobodaishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism.
The stores cater mostly to tourists and therefore stock a lot of religious memorabilia: prayer beads, charms, illustrated children’s books and quite a number of beautiful and expensive figurines.
The Angry Buddha is popular with followers of Shingon. Like all Buddhas he is compassionate, but he hates sin. He carries a sword to drive away evil, and a rope to lasso people and drag them back to the path of righteousness.
This store sells granite carvings, not all of them religious.
A map of the area, on a large sign by the side of the street.
Koya-san ni bonde la milima iliyoko milimani kusini mwa Osaka. Ni makao makuu ya madhehebu ya Shingon ya Ubudha wa kimwili. Mji huo ulianzishwa mwaka 816 na mtawa Mwakayishi, ambaye kwa kawaida huitwa Kobodaishi. Milima hiyo inaonekana kuwa na watu wachache sana kuliko eneo la Takayama. Hapo awali, watu walihitaji kupanda mlima mrefu ili kufika Koya, lakini leo unaweza kufika kwa urahisi kwa kutumia gari la reli lenye watu wengi ambalo linaelekea kwenye mlima huo. Koya ni mji mdogo wenye mahekalu 120. Sanamu hiyo ya shaba ni Kobodaishi, mwanzilishi wa Ubudha wa Shingon. Maduka hayo yanahudumia hasa watalii na kwa hiyo yana vitu vingi vya kidini: shanga za sala, vito, vitabu vya watoto vilivyoonyeshwa na idadi kubwa ya sanamu nzuri na za bei ghali. Buddha Mwenye Hasira ni maarufu miongoni mwa wafuasi wa Shingon. Kama Buddha wote yeye ni mwenye huruma, lakini anachukia dhambi. Ana upanga wa kuondoa uovu, na kamba ya kuwakamata watu na kuwarudisha kwenye njia ya haki. Duka hili huuza michongo ya graniti, si yote ya kidini. Ramani ya eneo hilo, kwenye ishara kubwa kando ya barabara.