Gobyō

Top choice in Kii Peninsula


The wooden, thatched roof gate here is as far as you can go in Oku-no-in. Beyond it lies the crypt Kōbō Daishi entered in 835, never to leave. Pilgrims in a constant stream pause here to light incense and candles and chant sutras.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kii Peninsula attractions

1. Oku-no-in

0.03 MILES

Oku-no-in, whose name means 'inner sanctuary', is perhaps the most intensely spiritual place in Japan. At its farthest reaches is the Gobyō, the crypt…

2. Tōrō-dō

0.03 MILES

This large hall at the northern end of Oku-no-in is full of lanterns, which cover the walls and ceiling. Two of the large ones, at the back of the hall,…

3. Miroku-ishi

0.04 MILES

Inside Oku-no-in and just past Gobyō-bashi is a wooden building the size of a large phone booth, which contains the Miroku-ishi – a stone said to weigh as…

4. Gobyō-bashi

0.09 MILES

This is the final bridge inside Oku-no-in before Kōbō Daishi's mausoleum. It crosses the Tama-gawa, which runs down from Yōryū-san, the mountain behind…

5. Naka-no-hashi

0.43 MILES

This bridge marks the halfway point between Ichi-no-hashi and the inner sanctum of Oku-no-in.

6. Ichi-no-hashi

0.89 MILES

This simple stone bridge marks the entrance to the sacred Oku-no-in complex.

7. Tokugawa Mausoleum

1.39 MILES

These adjacent mausoleums were completed in 1643 at the behest of the third Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, for his grandfather, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and…

8. Kongōbu-ji

1.39 MILES

This is the headquarters of the Shingon sect and the residence of Kōya-san's abbot. The main gate is the temple's oldest structure (1593); the present…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
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      "url": "japan/kansai/koya-san/attractions/gobyo/a/poi-sig/1318624/356694",
      "destination": "Kii-Peninsula",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Japan",
      "region": "Kii-Peninsula",
      "position": "superzone"
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