What is the cancellation policy for this tour?

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

How long does this tour take?

This tour lasts approximately 8 hours.

Where does this tour start?

Meeting point details will be provided in your booking confirmation.

Japan

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide

8 hours

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Overview

Arriving or staying in Osaka but want to visit sacred Mt. Koya? This driving tour from Osaka to Mt. Koya is for you!

This private and customizable driving tour will allow you to take in the world’s most sacred mountains with out the worry of catching trains or busses. This driving tour is perfect for independent travelers that would like to take in the sites on their own. Allow your private chauffer to take you around in comfort and style. Once your tour is done, your chauffer will take you back to Osaka so that you can continue your travels across Japan.

If you are staying in Osaka but would like to take some time out to enjoy some sights outside the big city, then this tour of Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture is for you!

Note: This tour is for independent travelers that need private transportation only. This tour does not come with a guide and you will not be able to ask for recommendations from your driver or Japan Guide Agency

Gallery

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 1

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 2

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 3

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 4

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 5

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 6

Mt. Koya 8hr Tour from Osaka: English speaking Driver, No Guide — photo 7

What's Included

✓ Included

Private vehicle
Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list'
English Speaking Driver

✗ Not Included

Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
You cannot combine tour groups

Itinerary

Stop 1

Depart from Osaka with your English speaking driver in a private vehicle to sacred Mt. Koya!　It takes about 2 hours from Osaka to Mt. Koya.

Stop 2

The heart of Mt. Koya. Kobo Daishi (Kukai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most revered persons in the religious history of Japan, rests here. Also, many prominent personalities' graves line by the approach to Okunoin for several hundred meters through the forest. Your guide will explain interesting stories about those historical characters.

Stop 3

The main headquarters for the Shingon Sect, which has 4,000 temples throughout Japan and more than 10 million followers worldwide. Visitors can see religious artifact, fusuma sliding door paintings, as well as a beautiful rock garden representing two dragons flying amongst the clouds.

Stop 4

One of the two most sacred sites in Mt. Koya. In the 9th century, Mt. Koya was founded on this very ground. At that time, Kobo Daishi held a groundbreaking ceremony and then dedicated his life to the construction of Danjo Garan. This sacred area consists of nearly twenty different structures including the magnificent Konpon Daito. Your guide will tell you the meaning of these structures.

Stop 5

The Reihokan Museum (霊宝館, Reihōkan) was built to house and preserve the religious and cultural treasures of Koyasan. The museum's entrance hall is styled after Byodoin Temple in Uji, and it has three exhibition halls for both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The museum's collection consists of thousands of religious works of art. The permanent exhibition displays statues, mandala (paintings representing metaphysical maps of the cosmos), and various other religious tools and paintings, the most notable of which is the scroll depicting the "Reclining Image of Sakyamuni Buddha on His Last Day". Additionally, a rotating temporary exhibition displays a seasonal selection chosen from the museum's collection.

Stop 6

Daishi Kyokai (大師教会, Daishi Kyōkai) is the administrative center of Shingon Buddhism, and is responsible for spreading the teachings of Kobo Daishi, the sect's founder. The complex consists of two buildings: Henjoden, a traditional temple hall, that was built in 1915 and is dedicated to Kobo Daishi, and a modern building for administration, lectures and training. Visitors can participate in a few activities at Daishi Kyokai, such as receiving Buddhist precepts (jukai) or copying Buddhist scriptures (shakyo). No advance reservations are required.

Stop 7

The Tokugawa Mausoleum (徳川家霊台, Tokugawa-ke Reidai) on Koyasan was built in 1643 by the third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu in order for his family to have a mausoleum close to Kobo Daishi's mausoleum. It consists of two buildings which enshrine Iemitsu's grandfather Ieyasu and father Hidetada, the first two Tokugawa shogun. The mausoleum's two identical buildings took twenty years to be completed and were built in the extravagant style of the early Edo Period with graceful sloping roofs, rich ornamentation, intricate carvings, lacquer and gold leaf. The two buildings stand side by side. The one on the right enshrines Ieyasu and the one on the left Hidetada.

Stop 8

Return to Osaka in the comfort of a private vehicle with your English speaking driver. It takes about 2 hours to get back to Osaka.

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Good to Know

Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Service animals allowed
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.
Only one reservation per group allowed. You cannot combine multiple reservations into one group.