Koyasan Shingon Sect HQ Kongobuji Daimon Gate

The Daimon Gate towers at the entrance to Kongobu-ji Temple, the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect. Designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1965, the gate has survived repeated threats such as mountain fires and lightning strikes, and has been carefully preserved since its reconstruction in 1705. Standing 25.1 meters tall, the Daimon is flanked by imposing Kongorikishi guardian statues, said to be the second-largest such statues in Japan after the Nio guardians at the South Great Gate of Todai-ji Temple. These powerful figures were created by the mid-Edo-period Buddhist sculptors Uncho and Koi. Displayed prominently on the front of the gate is a hanging inscription reading “Hibi no yōkō o kakusazu shite, shosho no iseki o kenchi su,” which conveys the belief that Kobo Daishi appears daily from his mausoleum, traveling throughout the sacred grounds to offer salvation. Because of this spiritual meaning, the Daimon Gate is regarded as one of the most auspicious spots for good fortune and prosperity within Kongobu-ji. To reach the Daimon Gate, take the Nankai Koya Line to Gokurakubashi Station, transfer to the Nankai Koyasan Cable Car to Koyasan Station, then ride the Nankai Rinkan Bus and get off at the Daimon bus stop, located directly in front of the gate. The traditional and recommended pilgrimage route at Koyasan begins at the Daimon Gate, followed by Danjo Garan, the Reihokan Museum, Daishi Kyokai, Kongobu-ji Temple, Kariya-do Hall, Okunoin, Kobo Daishi’s Mausoleum and the Toro-do Hall, the Tokugawa Family Mausoleum, and finally the Nyonindo Hall.