Hey #Steemit community!!
The @backpackingchef here!

Today I wanna tell you about the most peaceful and calming place on earth, a UNESCO listed, world heritage site!

Kōyasan

The Vermilion Konpon Daito Pagoda

In 805, Kobo Daishi traveled Japan to spread the word about Shingon Buddhism. After many years of searching for the perfect place to start his Buddhist sect and building his temple, he came across Mt. Kōya and saw it's 8 peaks giving it the image of a lotus flower!

The temple I will spend my time

As I got off the train to Mt. Kōya, I had already begun to feel a certain peace. The pine forest that surrounds the beautiful mountains gave off a warm inviting glow, and the road following into the Buddhist village was filled with beautiful temples that had intricate zen gardens and all shapes and sizes of perfectly pruned bonsai trees.

Zen garden at the front of the temple

I arrived at the temple where I would spend my time, learning about the monk way of life, and was greeted by the caretaker of the temple,he was a monk in training, and would see to it that his guests were treated with great japanese hospitality.

My living quarters, simple, and humble

I was shown to my living quarters and told dinner would be at 7:30pm, giving me some time to explore the mountain, I dedided to head to Okunoin cemetary, it is the largest cemetary in Japan, and the place Kobo Daishi started his eternal meditation.

Wandering Okunoin cemetary

Okunoin cemetary was such a beautiful place, filled with moss covered pine trees thousands of years old, shrines and gravestones decorated with bright flowers of the forest and stone laterns lining the marble pathways. I found myself once again at peace, alone with my thoughts.

A shrine in Okunoin

After walking for a few hours and imagining Kobo Daishi first exploring this spiritual place, i decided to head back to the temple. When I returned, the monks were redesigning the zen garden into a lotus flower image, and inside the temple they had begun their meditation before dinner. It is said that Kobo Daishi never died, but instead, started his eternal meditation. A reminder to all monks, and even us, to always take a step back, and take time to think.

Okunoin

The food the monks eat (Shojin Ryori), is something everyone should try at some point. It really is an intricate part of their way of living. It is supposed to be well balanced just like their activities each day.

Shojin Ryori

The monks use what they call the rule of five when cooking, so every meal offers five colors (green, yellow, red, black, and white), as well as five flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami), which are drawn out naturally from the ingredients rather than added with additional flavourings and spices.

Thousand year old tree

Shojin Ryori follows the Buddhist teachings that no life should be taken, therefor all meals are meat and fish free, most monks will also not consume garlic and onion for example, as it is a plants bulb, and kills the plant in the process.

Kongobuji Temple

After I finished this incredible meal, which was light, flavoursome and filling! I decided to have a night walk through Okunoin again, thinking about how fulfilling this experience has been. To live with the Shingon monks and learn about their humble and yet satisfying lives has been really eye-opening for me.

Monument at Daishi Kyokai

The next morning I awoke at 6am for the meditation ceremony, where the monks invite their guests, and the monks in training to say a quick prayer. I observed this ritual and saw that every small step or process made has so much meaning and precision and passion. It was truly insightful!

Danjo Garan temple

As I left Kōyasan, I felt invigorated, still the same old @backpackingchef, and yet somehow different. More of a sense of compassion to nature and animals and people, and all my worries just seemed a little less troublesome.

I'm the @backpackingchef, and I hope you enjoyed my story of Kōyasan, and staying with the monks. If you liked what you read please follow and upvote for more stories and travel tips, and a recipe here and there.

I apologise for not posting for a week, I'm trying to make these posts more frequent, 3-5 a week but am constantly finding myself out of time lately. I appreciate all your support and love and will do my best to keep you all entertained with my stories!

The source for my Shojin Ryori picture was: http://www.takaosan.or.jp/english/img/

I don't like to use other peoples work for my blog, but unfortunately I've lost my photo of the Shojin Ryori I had at my temple.

Lots of love,

@backpackingchef