Mando Kuyoe – Candle Festival on Mount Koya

Many nations have their areas of religious significance. In Japan, Mount Koya in what is modern-day Wakayama Prefecture in the Southern Kansai area is without equal.

Whilst books, manuscripts and a thousand articles have been written trying to explain the significance of the area, the religious import to the nation etc, few ever focus on details but it is one of the ‘details’ of Koya-san to give it its Japanese name that we will look at this issue – the quite marvelous yet spiritual festival known as Mando Kuyoe.

Of the thousands of points of prayer on Koya-san, Kongobu-ji Temple and Okuno-in Temple are perhaps the two most famous.

It is at this latter facility, a place to which the Buddha will one day apparently return, accompanied by the site founder Kukkai (sometimes known as Kobo Daishi), that the annual 13th August ‘Candle Festival’ is held to commemorate ancestors now deceased.

Literally thousands of candles flicker along the dark approach to the temple giving the whole area an eerie, yet emotional feel – one to witness from a distance to best appreciate the aesthetics and so not to intrude on the feelings of believers.

Access: Koya-san is best accessed from Namba Station in Osaka on the Nankai Dentetsu Line (check local listings for timings)

Fee: a small charge is made for candles used