DANJO GARAN
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This is the sacred precinct where the most important buildings and edifices of Koyasan are located. The great pagoda (Daitō), dedicated to Dai Nichi Nyorai, was established by Kōbō-Daishi as the centerpiece of the monastic complex. More than 70 years were required for its construction. Many fires took its toll. The current structure dates back to 1937. The pagoda is 49 meters high and 24 meters wide. Paintings illustrate the eight patriarchs of Shingon Buddhism. Not far away is the Kondō (Golden Pavilion), founded by Kūkai in 819, but rebuilt in 1932. It houses a representation of Bhaisajyaguru, Buddha of Medicine. The Fudō-dō, the oldest building at the site, was built in 1197. It was spared by the flames and is classified as a National Treasure. It houses the eight guardians and the statues of Fudō. The compound also houses the Mie-dō pavilion in which Kūkai is said to have resided. A portrait of him is preserved there. It is opened once a year on the eve of March 21, according to the lunar calendar. It was on this date that Kūkai is said, in 835, to have entered into meditation ad vitam æternam. Further on, the Saitō, Shintō shrines, house the deities who protect the monastery. Also of note is a large red pagoda dating from the Heian period, the Kompon Daito. This is a typical Shingon construction of the doctrine of esoteric Buddhism. The natural environment, composed of cedars, cypresses and red pines, adds a mystical touch to the place.
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