So, Koya-san is the headquarters of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism founded in 816 AD by the highly revered Kobo Bashi. The highlight of Koya-san, aside from the experience of staying in a Zen temple, is Okuno-in a massive cemetery housing some 200,000 graves. Our guide book says 'exploring the cemetery is like peeking into a lost and mysterious realm.' This is very true. As you walk the 1.5 mile tomb-lined walkway with white coated pilgrims on their way to pay their respects to Kobo Bashi, you look around and think, where am I ? There is a an other worldly quality to the ancient stones which are covered in thick moss and lodged under gnarled cedar trees hundreds of years old. As I mentioned before, I knew it would defy capturing on camera, and I am sorry that I can not share just how mysterious a place it was. Credit to O who took many of the pictures while I tried thaw little M's ice block hands and made this video to try and better reflect our impressions of the trip.
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thank you so much, jolie, for taking the time to post these images (with sound!) to re-create and share your experiences for us poised on the edges of the western world.
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