26 April 2025 - Day 55 - Visit to Koya-san, Kukai’s Mausoleum and UNESCO World Heritage site

The bus from Tokushima left at 5:05 so I got up at 4:00 to be on time. Leaving Shikoku, first for the huge City of Osaka, just to take the train back south to the mountains, was hard. And harder was the reality when I got off the bus at Namba Train station in Osaka.

I needed to find a conciergerie for my big suitcase and stick, which I couldn’t take with me to Koya-san, and I walked back and forth through the enormous underground station. Fed up I finally decided to take a big coin locker where my suitcase was safe but the Kongozue wouldn’t fit. It would go with me to Koya-san. After all it’s part of the pilgrimage.

By the time I had found the ticket counter for Koya-san I had the feeling I had already seen a million people hurry past me, it was extremely busy. The train left at 9 and made a few stops before driving into the mountains. Surprise! Marjorie was standing at one of these stations waiting to take “my” train. We obviously rode together.

The important visit for us both was the Oku-no-in, Kukai’s Mausoleum which is the holiest place for Shingon Buddhism. The walk through the graveyard in the middle of thousands of centennial pine trees war most impressive. At the mausoleum there were unfortunately restoration works in progress, so we couldn’t visit appropriately but still it was a very calm and special atmosphere.

After this we both went to the stamp office to get our final calligraphy/stamp in our books and on my scroll. Herewith the pilgrimage is officially terminated. Which makes me sad again. I already miss sounding the big bell when arriving at the Temple and lighting candles and burning incense. These things have become a natural part of most of my days over the last two months and they bring calm and quiet into my agitated mind.

I had a date with Cyril, who has arrived at Koya-san yesterday, and we went for a nice lunch. Unfortunately Marjorie needed to head off again to Wakayama so she couldn’t join us and we wished each other a good life!

After catching up over lunch, Cyril showed me a few things on the map that I absolutely needed to see, and then we split up again, we would ride the train back to Osaka together tomorrow. I took a little tour around the main highlights but then it was already time to check in at the Temple I was staying at.

Evening meditation at 5, vegan dinner at 6 and bath/onsen time from 6:30 to 9:30. Silence from 9. And tomorrow at 6 morning chanting ceremony and breakfast at 7. All in all the perfect ending for this perfect pilgrimage.

Thanks for your support!