Mar 19, 2013 - 1 min read

Oku-no-in Cemetery, Koya-san

Immerse yourself in the peace of a forest graveyard

By Peter Sidell

Community writer

Trees and foliage grow around all the graves

The memorials come in many designs and sizes

Some of the more modern memorials have striking designs

The denseness of the graves and forest create a hushed atmosphere

There are thousands of graves and markers of different shapes and sizes

Sometimes it seems that nature is trying to reclaim her territory

Stupas, graves, towers, pagodas, statues: you'll find everything here

Some statues of the Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy

A number of companies keep plots here for former employees

Another company grave for past employees, as the snow begins to fall

The best-known memorial in the modern part of the cemetery is the rocket

Two hours south of Osaka, the mountaintop plateau of Koya-san is home to Oku-no-in, an ancient forest cemetery. There are thousands of graves and markers crowded here among the towering cedar trees, many of them so old that they're completely overgrown with moss and foliage. It's a uniquely atmospheric place, enhanced by the dappled light filtering down through the forest, suffused with stillness, history and nature.

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Peter Sidell

By Peter Sidell

Community writer

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