This time, I will introduce you to a trip by helicopter.

~Koyasan~

Koyasan is located about 2.5 hours by car or 3 hours by train from Kyoto station. It's a bit difficult to get to Koyasan from Osaka or Kyoto by car because of the winding roads, and it takes a long time to get there. By taking a helicopter, you can arrive at Koyasan in about 30 minutes, perfect for a day of sightseeing and relaxation. We visited some of the sights, and here is one place that we experienced that you should visit.

The starting point for this trip was Fushimi in Kyoto. From the heliport here (JPD heliport) we headed to Koyasan in Wakayama.

Koyasan is a World Heritage Site that dates back more than 1200 years to when Kobo-Daishi, Kukai, first opened it. It is so large that we cannot visit it in one day. This is because there's so much to see and experience. For example, the gravestones of Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, more than 117 temples and over 200,000 gravestones. There are also schools and hospitals, and 2300 people live on this mountain. You will be surprised to find that Koyasan is like one town.

~Goma Fire Ceremony~ (Gomagyo)

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I would like to explain the Goma Fire Ceremony to those unfamiliar with this ritual. In a Goma ceremony, wooden sticks are set up in front of Buddha. Prayers and wishes are written beforehand on these wooden sticks (Goma gi). The fire symbolizes the wisdom of the Buddha, and the Goma gi symbolizes human desire. In this ritual, the Buddha burns away the root of our suffering as we pray for our wishes to come true. In most Shingon temples, this ritual is performed daily in the morning or the afternoon. Gomagyo is the most recognizable ritual among regular Japanese persons today.

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Gomagyo was one of the most memorable experiences I had. Gomagyo is a solemn ritual using fire. A gomagi is thrown into the fire and prayed for in front of the burning flames.

The sound and energy of the flames become more intense, and you will be more focused. 

I could feel the atmosphere become tense.

At Koyasan, staying in a lodging house near the temple is also possible.

I know that you have many questions about Koyasan. Still, if you are interested in finding out more, I am sure that you will discover many interesting things.

~Summary~

Here is a summary of Koyasan. It's not the easiest place to get to on a day trip, but it's such a wonderful and interesting place to visit by helicopter in 30 minutes from the centre of Kyoto and Osaka. A helicopter would cost around 500,000 yen. At Kyoto Plus, I want to introduce an exceptional travel experience and encourage more people to enjoy air travel. And thanks to the efforts of Mr Morioka of Takumi Aviation and Mr Kondo of Yui Ltd in planning such a wonderful experience by helicopter or private jet, we can bring this experience to you at half of the market price.

We hope that you will make the most of your time and experience this worthwhile experience by helicopter.

Yuna