We're planning ahead for a trip next fall to Japan, where we'll be flying in & out of Osaka. We're going to spend 4-5 days in Kyoto, which we've been to once before. Last time we focused on the main sites in Kyoto proper, but this time we'll do a lot of day trips like hiking around Kibune and Kurama. We love onsens, so we're going to spend 4 nights in Kinosaki. A day or two in Osaka would be next, and lastly we planned to visit Mt. Koya.

On our last trip to Japan several years ago, we walked part of the Nakasendo path between Magome & Magome in the Kiso Valley and we thought it was wondeful. We thoroughly enjoyed the hike through nature and the small, traditional feel of the post towns. We thought we would capture some of that feel by hiking the trails on Mt Koya, and combine that with the traquility found at temples. However, I've read some mixed reviews of Mt Koya, including those who said that the main town is a bit ugly and crowded with tourists and gift shops. Not the peaceful bit of nature that I imagined.

To make a long story short (hmm, maybe to late for that), I'm wondering if there is another small town or village in the Kansai (Kinki) region that we should visit instead for a night or two. Beautiful scenery, light hiking, older shrines or temples as a bonus perhaps, and not too difficult to access by trains from one of the towns we're planning on visiting. Or should we just stick to Mt Koya? If the walking trails are quite, peaceful and scenic, I think we can deal with a bit of concreate & tourist shops in the main area of town. Thanks for any feedback!

We didn't do much hiking in the area but really enjoyed our time in Koyasan. We were there in April at the height of the blossom season and did not find it at all crowded. There were one or two tourist type shops but nothing overtly tacky. We stayed in one of thw monasteries (Eko In )which was an amazing experience and, I imagine would be the main reason for visiting (the cemetery being a close second). I can't recall visiting the "main town" or even if there was one.I would not hesitate to pay Koyasan a return visit (if there weren't so many other places I want to see in Japan. Hear is a link to our blog with a bit more infoand some photos:

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...8720/tpod.html

I can't agree more with crellston. I was also in Koyasan in April and it was amazing. We loved it. One tip - we spent just one night there and it was a Sunday, which might be less crowded because people leave Sunday afternoon after a weekend in Koyasan. We didn't even have a reservation, just went up Sunday morning and checked the local reservation service. We had a phenomenal room and experience.

Perhaps if you avoid the weekend - or check in on a Sunday and stay thru the beginning of the week you'll enjoy it more. And the cemetary is an astonishing and beautiful walk.

I also have made that 7-8 mile hike from Magome and really enjoyed it - but in my mind Koyasan was a far more amazing experience. Namaste.

http://www.shukubo.jp/eng/07_guide.html

Did you see the hiking trails map on the above listed site? Is that what you had in mind?
I, like crellston, visited Koyasan for the experience of staying in a monastery. I did a walking tour as well which concentrated on the cemetery. I don't recall finding the little downtown area tacky....

Thank you all for quick and helpful replies.

Those trail maps are exactly what we were looking at. We wouldn't plan to do the FULL trail, but would do a couple hours worth.

We need to leave late-morning on Monday (late afternoon/early evening flight out of KIX), so we'd definitely be staying on a Sunday night. If we wanted to stay two nights then we'd have to do Saturday & Sunday. We'll think about that choice some more, but your feedback has encouraged me to keep Koyasan on our itinerary. Although we're both Westerners, my wife has followed Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teachings and we both would enjoy learning more about Shingon Buddhism.

I'd say the walk through the cemetary up to the temple in Koyasan is probably 2-3 miles, just fyi, and worth walking.

http://www.geocities.jp/koyasan_i_g_c/kccn/guide.html

Here's the info about the walking tour.

I also had a wonderful experience in Koyasan and I highly recommend Okunoin. I took a long walk there during the day and a brief walk there around dusk - extraordinary! (I imagine it would be similar at dawn.)

If you have time to visit another small place, you might consider Ohara. (I wouldn't visit Ohara instead of Koyasan.) You can visit it as a day trip from Kyoto. See:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3932.html

Enjoy!

If we want to spend the night in Ohara, any suggestions? We love the peacefulness of small villages at night.

I looked into Seryo in Ohara, but did not stay there. The info I found looked wonderful though.

http://www.seryo.co.jp/english/index.html

It is right next to Sanzen-in temple, which is very cool. I liked Ohara very much, nice place to walk around. nice neighborhoods. It was a highlight of my 1st trip to Japan.

From my notes: This one is also in Ohara but it doesn't look as nice to me as Seryo.

http://www.gyozanen.com/english/

There are not very many onsen in Ohara, it is a small area. There are a few minshukus with onsen also, which are cheaper than Seryo and Gyozanen.

2 "minshukus" with Onsen in Ohara:

Oharanosato (e-mail: [email protected])

Ohara-Sansou (e-mail: [email protected], http://www.ohara-sansou.com/english/index.htm)

http://www.oohara-no-sato.co.jp/english/index.htm

http://www.ohara-sansou.com/english/accomodation.htm

Both of them look pretty nice to me. The 2nd one is close to the old convent, Jyakkouin temple, that was being rebuilt from a fire when I was there 5 yrs ago. That is a different area, in a sort of neighborhood, and it is about a 15 min. walk from the area where Sanzen-in temple and little water canal is.

alan64, it is chillier in Ohara than in Kyoto. You climb up a bit in altitude to get to Ohara. When I was there in April it snowed lightly that day!

alan64, see here, good info on Ohara area:

http://kyoto.asanoxn.com/places/ohara/oharamap.htm

topping for alan64

Thanks! I was away for a couple days so I hadn't seen the additional information. We'll have to think about whether to stay in Ohara or just do a day trip. Day trips are nice & easy, but there's something special about staying in a little village once the day-trippers go home. When my wife & I look back at our various vacations, it's usually the little places that captured our hearts.