JAPAN


Spiritual healing


Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine


A deep belief in the power of nature sets Japan’s Kii Peninsula apart. Sarah Lucy Brown discovers more on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail


W


ith a trace of incense and the poignant words of our monk guide Nobu’s Heart Sutra still hanging in the air, we walked in revered silence along the lantern-lit path that led back to our shukubo (traditional temple lodging). oÃÌ `ii« in oÕÀ ÌhoÕ}hÌÃ] Üi h>` jÕÃÌ wniÃhi` our night tour of the 1,200-year-old Okunoin cemetery – one of the oldest and most sacred «l>Vià in >«>n q in Ìhi ÌoÜn ov oÞ>Ã>n° "kÕnoin means ‘inner sanctuary’ and it is here that Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon tantric Buddhism, is believed to be in eternal meditation. Walking through the silent moss-covered forest, you catch glimpses of the red hats and aprons that adorn Ìhi iâo oÃ>ÌÃÕ] Ãmilin} ÃÌ>ÌÕià Ìh>Ì «ÀoÌiVÌ Ìhi ÃoÕlà of children, alongside ancient shrines belonging to warriors, monks, samurais and Kobo Daishi devotees. Ƃlon} Ìhi Ü>Þ]


oLÕ Ãh>Ài` hià mi`iÌ>ÌionÃ


on life – leading us over the bridge that separates the innermost grounds of the cemetery to magical /oÀo`o


>ll ­ >ll ov >m«Ã®] ÜhiÀi moÀi Ìh>n £ä]äää


lanterns are kept eternally lit. Behind lies Kobo Daishi’s Mausoleum (Gobyo) – the destination for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the world. With heads bowed and hands to our hearts, Nobu chanted his Heart Sutra with a gentle power that brought us to tears.


Quiet contemplation


Our base for the evening was Rengejo-in, a historic temple lodging in Koyasan that dates back to the late 1190s. My inviting room had views of the garden and I enjoyed a fresh green tea while admiring the burnt-orange acer trees glistening in the moonlight. iVoÀ>Ìi` ÜiÌh wni >«>niÃi >ÀÌ] > vÕÌon Li` Ü>Ã


already unfurled and a freshly ironed yukata robe was laid out ready for my stay.


Buddhists believe food nourishes the body and soul – and the cuisine did not disappoint. Seated in Ìhi o`>n no > ­ oÀ`½Ã ƂÕ`iinVi


h>mLiÀ®]


among painted fusuma screens and ancient text, we sampled a selection of plant-based dishes – elegant as a work of art and each as delicious as the next.


80


ASPIRE JANUARY 2024


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