Danjo Garan

Temple

Last updated August 31, 2026 Reviewed by the Japan Voyage editorial team

Prefecture

Wakayama

Type

Temple

N/A

0 reviews

¥500

Entry Fee

Train Access

About This Destination

One of the two sacred centres of Koyasan, a sanctuary of halls and gates around the vermilion Konpon Daito, a great pagoda enshrining a three-dimensional mandala of Buddhas.

The Danjo Garan is the ceremonial heart of Koyasan, the sacred precinct that Kukai laid out first when he founded the mountain monastery. At its centre rises the Konpon Daito, a great vermilion pagoda nearly fifty metres tall whose interior forms a three-dimensional mandala, with a central Dainichi Buddha surrounded by four further Buddhas and painted pillars. Around it stand the main Kondo hall, the Miedo, the oldest Fudo-do, and rows of gates and sub-halls set among tall cedars. The grounds are free to wander, while the Konpon Daito and Kondo have a small entry fee, and the complex pairs naturally with a walk to nearby Kongobu-ji.

Location

Prefecture: Wakayama

Address: Koya, Wakayama, Japan

Nearest Station: Koyasan Station (cable car + bus)

Opening hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:00

Best time to visit: Year-round; the vermilion pagoda is striking against fresh green in early summer and maples in autumn

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Access

Wakayama, Japan

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an admission fee for the Danjo Garan?

Walking the grounds is free, but entering the Konpon Daito pagoda or the Kondo hall costs about 500 yen each; the interior mandala of the pagoda is well worth it.