KOYA-SAN- spiritual destination-najcudowniejsze miejsce jakie widziałam w Japonii

Koya-san..szczególna atmosfera, 125 budowli świątynych ukrytych w gęstych lasach, siedziba buddyjskiej pra-sekty Shingon.

(Only 2-hours away from industrial, congested Osaka, Koyasan peacefully nestles itself within the eight mountain peaks of Mt. Koya just as the jewel sits in the eight petals of the lotus becoming a natural mandala, a Buddhist symbol of perfection.
Koyasan is a mountain about 900m in height. The summit is a somewhat concave tableland, and this irregular plateau is surrounded by forest scarps which terminate in eight points believed by devout Buddhists to represent the eight petals of the lotus. Here, far from the conspiracies of the great feudal families, was built one of the most important religious / spiritual foundations of the Buddhist world. )

Kobo Daishi (774-836) is the father of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most multifaceted influences in Japan’s history. rest..and..green tea:)))My favourite japanese sweats- WAGASHI!!! fresh made mochi with nuts, azuki, white bean.. mniaaaaaaammmmm:PI stayed in shukubo- temple, hosting overnight guests. I left my shoes at the door, and slipped on a pair of small red slippers following monk up the sparsely decorated hallway to my room. Traditional rice paper walls and doors that slid on tracks with a futon and a pot of green tea waited for me. The room also included an “art space.” “Monks treat everyone the same because no one knows when our friends become our enemies or when our enemies become our friends”.From behind my room’s rice paper wall called the shadow of a young monk. Dinner was served. I must admit after a long day of sightseeing I was starving. I got beautifully presented vegetarian (they are eating just veggies) faire consisting of seasonable vegetables and fruit, tempura, wheat gluten, miso soup, goma-doufu and koya-doufu (a tasty freeze-dried tofu)- for me delicious and..interesting;P At 5:30 am, a tapping awakened me on my thin bedroom door. I took my places, kneeling before the temple room where the ceremony was set to begin. All the monks wore violet, orange and black ceremonial robes and showed deliberateness in every movement. “As soon as you enter here, you learned. Learned by seeing and doing. Learned slowly to love everyone and everything. Buddhism brings peace to the mind. In Japan, it is already here. Perhaps soon the whole world.” I had to admit I hoped he was right. Unique experience.http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=GACAjfrYp-M