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Candle festival in western Japan

Candles are lit to form the Chinese character for "bloom" in the annual candle festival at Okunoin cemetery at the Kongobuji temple in Mt. Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on Aug. 13, 2025.

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Festival celebrating famed Buddhist monk's birthday

Aoba Matsuri, a festival celebrating the birthday of Buddhist monk Kukai (774-835) -- posthumously known as Kobo Daishi and the founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism -- is held on June 9, 2024, in the Wakayama prefecture town of Koya, western Japan, where he opened the Kongobuji temple in 816.

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Festival celebrating famed Buddhist monk's birthday

Aoba Matsuri, a festival celebrating the birthday of Buddhist monk Kukai (774-835) -- posthumously known as Kobo Daishi and the founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism -- is held on June 9, 2024, in the Wakayama prefecture town of Koya, western Japan, where he opened the Kongobuji temple in 816.

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Festival celebrating famed Buddhist monk's birthday

Aoba Matsuri, a festival celebrating the birthday of Buddhist monk Kukai (774-835) -- posthumously known as Kobo Daishi and the founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism -- is held on June 9, 2024, in the Wakayama prefecture town of Koya, western Japan, where he opened the Kongobuji temple in 816.

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Festival celebrating famed Buddhist monk's birthday

Aoba Matsuri, a festival celebrating the birthday of Buddhist monk Kukai (774-835) -- posthumously known as Kobo Daishi and the founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism -- is held on June 9, 2024, in the Wakayama prefecture town of Koya, western Japan, where he opened the Kongobuji temple in 816.

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Fire festival at Kongobuji

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 3, 2024.

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Fire festival at Kongobuji

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 3, 2024.

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Song Tao, a key figure for China-Japan ties

TOKYO, Japan, Dec. 30 Kyodo - Song Tao (R), head of the Chinese Communist Party's International Department, and Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, shake hands after visiting Kongobuji temple in Koya in Japan's Wakayama Prefecture in this file photo taken Aug. 10, 2017.

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Quality dried persimmons for New Year

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Choicest dried persimmons on skewers named "hyakujyu," meaning centenarian, for New Year ornaments are encased in Japanese cypress boxes at Kongobuji, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, in the Wakayama prefectural town of Koya, western Japan, on Dec. 15, 2014.

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4 girls chosen for Aoba Festa in western Japan

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Four girls selected for the Aoba Festival pose for photos in the town of Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, with local mascot character "Koyakun" on May 19. The June 15 festival celebrates the birth of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism and Kongobuji, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism.

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Koyasan temple celebrates 515th master priest

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Kongobuji, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, celebrates the inauguration of the 515th master priest, Hosokawa Koyu (L), in a traditional ritual on March 12, 2014.

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Fire festival held at Mt. Koya in western Japan

HASHIMOTO, Japan - The "Koya Fire Festival" is held at Kongobuji, a Buddhist temple on Mt. Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 2, 2014, to pray for good luck and ward off evil spirits.

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People purify themselves by bathing in cold water at Koyasan

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Followers of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism in the Koyasan area in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama bath in cold water to purify themselves at the Okunoin inner sanctuary of the Kongobuji temple on Jan. 24, 2010. The wintertime dip is carried out for religious training purposes.

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Wakayama temples heralds spring with fire festival

HASHIMOTO, Japan - The Kongobuji temple in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture holds the ''Koya Fire Festival'' on March 4 to herald the arrival of spring and to expel evil spirits, with monks feeding prayer wood plaques into a 2.5-meter-high pyre especially built for the occasion

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Monks pray for peace in 2003

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Monks pray for peace and security in 2003 at Kongobuji Temple, headquarters of the Buddhist Koyasan-Shingon sect, in Wakayama Prefecture on Dec. 10. The monks remove dust from sutras by opening and closing them like accordions.

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Classic car festival in Japan

KOYA, Japan - Some 60 cars show up Nov. 6 in the eighth ''Vetro Montagna Koyasan'' classic car festival, held at Kongobuji temple on Mt. Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan.

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Fire festival at Japanese temple

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 6, 2022.

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Fire festival at Japanese temple

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 6, 2022.

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Monks pray for peace in 2003

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Monks pray for peace and security in 2003 at Kongobuji Temple, headquarters of the Buddhist Koyasan-Shingon sect, in Wakayama Prefecture on Dec. 10. The monks remove dust from sutras by opening and closing them like accordions. (Kyodo)

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West Japan temple opens famed founder Kukai's statue to public

Visitors offer prayers in front of a statue of Buddhist monk Kukai enshrined at Kongobuji, the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism, in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on its public opening day of Oct. 1, 2015. Kukai, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi and founder of the sect, also established the temple in the Koyasan mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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West Japan temple opens famed founder Kukai's statue to public

A statue of Buddhist monk Kukai is opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2015, for a month-long run at Kongobuji, the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism, in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan. Kukai, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi and founder of the sect, also established the temple in the Koyasan mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Copy of "Ryokai Mandara" dedicated to Kongobuji

Kongobuji, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Sect of Buddhism in Koya Town, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, displays a copy of the "Ryokai Mandara" on July 3, 2015. The copy of the important national cultural property, made by Toppan Printing Co. using the latest digital technology, was dedicated to the temple the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Copy of "Ryokai Mandara" dedicated to Kongobuji

A copy of the "Ryokai Mandara," an important national cultural property, hangs at the main temple hall of the Danjo Garan, the central area of Mt. Koya where major Buddhist services are held, at Kongobuji, the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon Sect of Buddhism in Koya Town, Wakayama Prefecture, on July 3, 2015. The copy, made by Toppan Printing Co. using the latest digital technology, was dedicated to the temple the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Song Tao, a key figure for China-Japan ties

Song Tao (R), head of the Chinese Communist Party's International Department, and Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, shake hands after visiting Kongobuji temple in Koya in Japan's Wakayama Prefecture in this file photo taken Aug. 10, 2017. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Wakayama temples heralds spring with fire festival

HASHIMOTO, Japan - The Kongobuji temple in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture holds the ''Koya Fire Festival'' on March 4 to herald the arrival of spring and to expel evil spirits, with monks feeding prayer wood plaques into a 2.5-meter-high pyre especially built for the occasion (Kyodo)

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Quality dried persimmons for New Year

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Choicest dried persimmons on skewers named "hyakujyu," meaning centenarian, for New Year ornaments are encased in Japanese cypress boxes at Kongobuji, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, in the Wakayama prefectural town of Koya, western Japan, on Dec. 15, 2014. (Kyodo)

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People purify themselves by bathing in cold water at Koyasan

HASHIMOTO, Japan - Followers of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism in the Koyasan area in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama bath in cold water to purify themselves at the Okunoin inner sanctuary of the Kongobuji temple on Jan. 24, 2010. The wintertime dip is carried out for religious training purposes. (Kyodo)

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Fire festival at Japanese temple

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in a square in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2020. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Fire festival at Japanese temple

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in a square in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2020. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Fire festival at Japanese temple

Monks burn wooden tablets in a Buddhist rite during a fire festival held in a square in front of Kongobuji temple in Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2020. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Fire festival in Japan

A large congregation of monks burn wooden tablets at a fire festival held as a Buddhist rite at a square in front of Kongobuji Temple in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on March 3, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Master craftsman dedicates incense burner to temple

Master craftsman Biko Hayashi (R) dedicates an incense burner to Kongobuji, head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism, in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on Nov. 8, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Master craftsman dedicates incense burner to temple

Photo shows an incense burner by master craftsman Biko Hayashi that was dedicated to Kongobuji, head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism, in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on Nov. 8, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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(4)UNESCO adds Japanese sites to World Heritage list

SUZHOU, China - Photo shows Kongobuji Temple in Koya, Wakayama Prefecture. The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Heritage Committee decided July 1 in Suzhou, China, to include in its heritage list the holy grounds and pilgrimage path in the Kii mountains straddling central and western Japan, which include the temple. (Kyodo)

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Classic car festival in Japan

KOYA, Japan - Some 60 cars show up Nov. 6 in the eighth ''Vetro Montagna Koyasan'' classic car festival, held at Kongobuji temple on Mt. Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan.