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Danjo Garan Sacred Temple Complex

Headquarters of Shingon Tantra

Danjo Garan Sacred Temple Complex is one of the two holy places in Mount Koyasan, which was established by Kobo Daishi. There are a total of 19 buildings, and the Golden Hall is the main hall of Koyasan. The 50-meter-high Konpon Daito Pagoda is the tallest and considered the symbol of Koyasan.

In the 9th century, the Japanese monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi 弘法大師), after returning from China, founded the Koyasan Shingon School of Buddhism, and the Danjo Garan Sacred Temple Complex is the fundamental headquarters where he preached Buddhism.

Danjo Garan 壇上伽藍 began in 816 A.D., when Kobo Daishi set up the Golden Hall 金堂, the Konpon Daito Pagoda 根本大塔, and other buildings with the layout of the Tantric Garan. To this day there are 19 buildings remaining. The 48.5-meter-high Konpon Daito Pagoda is the symbol of Mount Koyasan. Although it was created by Kobo Daishi himself, the pagoda was not completed until 40 years after his death. The interior of the Konpon Daito is dedicated to the Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来 of the Womb Realm, which is the holy realm of the tantric Mandala.

Manywhere Trivia:
According to the original idea of Kobo Daishi, there were supposed to be two giant pagodas behind the Golden Hall, but he didn’t expect that it would take more than sixty years for just one pagoda. If things went as he hoped, the Danjo Garan would have been more magnificent.

Stone Road Markers on the World Heritage Koyasan Stone Trail

In order to distinguish it from the Main Gate of Mount Koyasan, which is also known as the “Daimon, Great Gate”, the main gate of Danjo Garan is often called the Middle Gate. Facing the Golden Hall, this gate has statues of the Four Heavenly Kings placed in front and behind it. The Golden Hall is the main hall of the whole Koyasan, also created by Kobo Daishi, and is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来, and most of the temple’s rituals are held here.

Sanno-in

Among the 19 architectures on the Danjo Garan Sacred Temple Complex, the Golden Hall and the Konpon Daito Pagoda form the core, surrounded by Goeido Hall 御影堂, Peacock Hall 孔雀堂, Aizen Myo Hall 愛染堂, Fudo Myo Hall 不動堂, etc. Among them, Gosha Myojin Shrine 御社明神社 is a unique one, with a shrine dedicated to the local Shinto deities of Mount Koyasan.