I chose Koyasan in Japan
Daimon in Koyasan: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa
When I visited Koyasan several years ago, I was amazed to see so many foreign tourists, especially from Europe. I asked a backpacker from England why he decided to visit Koyasan. He said, “didn’t you know Koyasan is the second most popular place to visit in Japan, after Kyoto?” Whatever the travel guidebook he read, I agreed with it.
When I finally went back to Japan after three years of separation in May 2022, two places were my must to visit: Kyoto and Koyasan.
In May 2022, Japan still restricted visitors from abroad. A foreign citizen couldn’t get a visa without an invitation from a Japanese organization or proof that their Japanese parents or children are living in Japan.
Since I had renounced my Japanese citizenship when I was naturalized in the US (because Japan doesn’t recognize dual citizenship), I had to get a visa to enter Japan to see my mother. At least in May I no longer had to prove that my mother was seriously ill.
Because of the travel restriction, there were hardly any foreign tourists in Japan. Both Kyoto and Koyasan were quiet as ever.
As usual, I stayed one night at one of the shukubos (宿坊) in Koyasan. Shukubo is a temple that allows people to stay overnight.
In addition to lodging, it provides meals (dinner and breakfast) and often lets visitors experience some of the Buddhist rituals such as meditation or shakyo, a practice of transcribing sutra text by hand. In Koyasan there are so many shukubos, each of which has a unique history.
For no reason, I felt like trying something different this time: a 24-hour digital detox.
Kondo in Koyasan: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa
In one and a half hours, the train took me from the middle of the busy Osaka-city to a quiet mountainous area of Koyasan. From 10:30 am to noon, I walked around and took pictures: Daimon 大門 and Kondo 金堂. Come noon, I switched off my phone and kept it off until noon the next day.
I kept walking along the winding road,
checked in at Jimyoin 持明院, the shukubo I had made a reservation,
unpacked in one of the rooms upstairs,
took a walk in their vast Japanese garden,
strolled a long corridor in the temple,
sat down and looked at each fusumae 襖絵, pictures painted on the sliding panels (Jimyoin had so many of them!),
took a long bath and relaxed my aching legs,
enjoyed delicious Shojin Ryori 精進料理 (monk’s vegetarian meal),
read a manga book depicting a life of Kobo Daishi (弘法大師 774-835), the founder of Koyasan,
slept in the futon,
participated in the Goma 護摩, a Buddhist ritual conducted in Jimyoin at 6:30 the next morning,
enjoyed a simple breakfast,
checked out Jimyoin and walked further to Okunoin 奥之院,
and got to the station to take the cable car and train back to Osaka, at noon.
View from the Koyasan Station: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa
No cell phone. No TV. No Internet. Minimum conversation. Not thinking much, but just seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting what is there…
In 24 hours, I felt like part of my impurity was replaced with the freshness of Koyasan’s pure air.
Koyasan was the right place to experience the digital detox for me. How about you? Which place would you choose? Or where did you go for your digital detox? I would love to hear your story!