Editorial photo #13881891 Human Interest

A Journey Through Mount Koya's Sacred Sanctuary

MOUNT KOYA, JAPAN - JUNE 13: A stone statue of a Buddhist monk holding a staff stands next to a moss-covered gorinto pagoda monument and an engraved memorial pillar at Okunoin Cemetery on Mount Koya (Koyasan) in Koya-cho, Ito District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, on June 13, 2026. This steep valley settlement along the Nankai Koya Line railway corridor serves as the historical gateway and trailhead for the ancient Choishi-michi pilgrimage route up to Mount Koya (Koyasan), preserving traditional Japanese mountainside architecture featuring tiled roofs and terraced foundations. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto)

Photo details

Photo ID: #13881891
Date taken: 13 June 2026
Location: —
Photographer: Artur Widak/NurPhoto
Category: Human Interest

Related keywords

Buddhist monk East Asia Forest Japan Japanese Kii Peninsula Koya-cho Koyasan Mount Koya Nature Okunoin Okunoin Cemetery Peaceful Scenic Shingon Buddhism Spiritual Tombstone Tourism UNESCO Wakayama Prefecture burial grounds calligraphy cemetery cultural heritage engraved pillar five-tiered stupa gorinto gravestone green foliage landscape memorial monument moss-covered pilgrimage sacred site serene stone statue summer travel trees world heritage Nankai Koya Line Choishi-michi pilgrimage route traditional Japanese architecture tiled roofs terraced foundations June 13 2026 Artur Widak NurPhoto