Round-trip ticket to Mount Koya, take the Nankai Line train to Gokuraku Station, then a cable car ride of about 10 minutes

Embark on a time-traveling Zen journey✨ Explore the lesser-known route in Wakayama to visit the sacred Buddhist site of Mount Koya, Japan. This route not only lets you experience the charm of ancient temples dating back a thousand years but also enjoy a unique mountain cable car ride!

🚞 Recommended route:
Depart from Wakayama City Station to Hashimoto City (the essential path to Mount Koya), purchase the "Mount Koya World Heritage Ticket" for great value → Nankai Electric Railway Gokurakubashi Station → transfer to the mountain cable car (10 minutes of an amazing experience) → arrive at Mount Koya Station → take a bus to Okunoin-mae Station 🚌

🌟 Highlights:
1. Okunoin Approach: Japan’s most mysterious sacred site, a 2-kilometer-long path lined with ancient cedar trees, along which lie over 200,000 samurai and famous people’s tombstones, creating an incredibly atmospheric experience!
2. Kongobu-ji Temple: The head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect, a must-see for Japan’s largest dry landscape garden, the "Banryutei" (Coiling Dragon Garden)
3. Danjo Garan: The striking vermilion Konpon Daito Pagoda is truly breathtaking
4. Cable Car Experience: A special cable car with a steep incline, offering stunning scenery along the way

🍱 Food recommendations:
・Mount Koya tofu cuisine (shojin ryori, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine)
・Sesame dumplings (at the entrance of Okunoin)
・Yuzu-flavored ice cream (near Mount Koya Station)

💡 Practical tips:
・The ticket includes round-trip transportation + local buses; it’s recommended to start before 9 AM
・Tour route: take the bus to the final stop at Okunoin-mae → walk back along the same route for the easiest experience
・In winter, wear non-slip shoes as the stone steps on the approach can be slippery
・Some temples require removing shoes to enter, so wear shoes that are easy to take off and put on

This route lets you experience Japanese Buddhist culture and enjoy breathtaking mountain views, perfect for travelers who love in-depth exploration! Don’t forget your camera—every corner is a fantastic photo spot～