Koya-san

To see some of Japan's countryside, Mike and I traveled to Koya-san located in Wakayama prefecture. Koya-san is quite isolated from the hustle and bustle of Japan's city life. In fact, you have to take a cable car to pull you up the mountain just to get there. Koya-san is also the sacred center of Shingon Buddhism. There are numerous temples and those who are studying to be monks live here. Countless number of pilgrimages are made to Koya-san each year.
Mike and I stayed the night in a temple and ate the vegetarian cuisine that is known throughout Koya-san. We also got up at 5:00 AM to partake in an early Buddhist prayer with a monk. With it being November and us being so far up in the mountains, it was also very cold! I could see my breath as I walked around inside the temple that we slept at. The scenery, however, was beautiful especially since it was Fall and the leaves were changing colors. The whole trip was a very peaceful and tranquil experience.