Mt. Koya Sacred Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Licensed Guide | 8 hours

17 Reviews | Namba
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From $198.14 per person Lowest Price Guarantee
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Mt. Koya Sacred Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Licensed Guide
2 Adults x $376.47
$752.94
Approx Total
$752.94
Pickup included

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: Japanese, English
  • Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Osaka
  • Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
  • Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list
  • Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
  • Private Vehicle
  • You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
  • Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Overview

Our government-licensed and experienced multilingual guides will help you efficiently enjoy a one-day tour of UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, Mt. Koya. Go on a full-day guided walking tour of Mt. Koya and learn about the modern and traditional aspects of one of the world’s most sacred mountains! 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! Meet your guide at your hotel (in Osaka, Kyoto, Wakayama, or around the Kansai area), then head to Mount Koya. Your guide will customize your full-day tour in detail according to your interests. Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

This private tour is a walking day tour with meet up in OSAKA. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand ... for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please book Mt Koya Full Day Tour from Osaka with Licensed Guide and Vehicle Read more â–Ľ

Itinerary

  • Koyasan Okunoin

    Important Notice : The access to the Okunoin Torodo (Lantern Hall) will be suspended due to the restoration work from November 18th 2024 to End of August 2025. 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.

    1 hour 30 minutes

  • Kongobu-ji Temple

    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.

    1 hour

  • Koyasan Danjo Garan

    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.

    1 hour

  • Koyasan Reihokan Museum

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Koyasan Daishi Kyokai

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Tokugawa's Mausoleum

    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.

    30 minutes

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.

Free Cancellation

June 11100% refund
June 12No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

4.9

17 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    16
  • 4 stars
    1
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 16 reviews with 5 stars

Mount Koya with private guide Naka from Osaka

Published on May, 2025

Our private tour from Osaka to the sacred area of Mount Koya with NaKa, a certified Japanese Government Licensed Guide (JGA), was an absolutely incredible experience. From start to finish, the tour was everything we hoped for and more. NaKa was simply wonderful – a truly kind, gentle, and exceptionally knowledgeable guide. Her deep understanding of the complex history and practices of esoteric Buddhism brought the sacred sites to life in a way that would have been impossible on our own. She navigated us through the spiritual heart of Mount Koya with such grace and insight, making the history accessible and fascinating. The pace of the tour was perfect – calm and relaxing, allowing us to truly absorb the serene atmosphere of the mountain. A highlight was undoubtedly the excellent vegetarian lunch at a local restaurant. The Sankozen dish was delicious, and sharing this meal in the company of such a cultured and insightful person as NaKa was a truly delightful experience. The visit to Okuno-in and Kobo Daishi's mausoleum was profoundly moving and incredibly interesting, guided by NaKa's expert explanations. Witnessing the fire ceremony added a mystical and powerful dimension to our visit. Even the journey itself was memorable; the cable car ride and the train journey offered fantastic, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, building anticipation for our arrival. This tour was truly unforgettable. NaKa's guidance, combined with the profound spirituality and natural beauty of Mount Koya, created a perfect day. We highly recommend this private tour, especially with NaKa, for anyone looking for a deep and meaningful exploration of this sacred site.

Travel back in time

Published on Apr, 2025

Yuki was an excellent guide. She was very professional, very knowledgeable, so kind and helpful. She used our time on the subway to familiarize us with Japanese history, culture, and traditions. Yuki navigated us perfectly through the intricate travel to Koyasan-such a beautiful, wonderful day, which included a fabulous vegetarian lunch!!

Private Tour of Koyasan with Yuki

Published on Apr, 2025

We had an absolutely fantastic experience touring Koyasan. Yuki clearly knows this region well and we feel as though we walked away with an immense amount of knowledge after our day with her. Yuki’s attention to detail was apparent even before our trip began, inquiring about food allergies, specific sightseeing requests and making plans to pick us up at our hotel (which we later learned was quite a distance from her home)! Our day of experience exceeded our expectations. Yuki was so thoughtful, personable and we left her at the end of the day feeling like we've known her for ages! She definitely gave us the VIP experience. Highly recommend!

A great day

Published on Apr, 2025

My guide Yuki was excellent. So kind and helpful. She went above and beyond to help me have a great day including helping me to find a particular vegan restaurant when we got back to Namba. Koyasan was spectacular. I thoroughly recommend this trip.

Great day in My Koya

Published on Apr, 2025

Yuki was a pleasure! She was full of great historical information for all the places we visited. We enjoyed the day!

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