Hidden among the mountains of Koyasan, Okunoin is one of the most mystical and awe-inspiring places in Japan. An immense forest of ancient cedars where thousands of stone lanterns covered in moss guide the way between temples, samurai tombs and paths shrouded in fog.

With more than 200,000 graves spread throughout the forest, Okunoin is the most sacred cemetery in the country and the resting place of Kobo Daishi, the Buddhist monk who founded Shingon Buddhism more than 1,200 years ago. According to Japanese tradition, Kobo Daishi did not really die, but rather remains in eternal meditation awaiting the spiritual awakening of humanity.

Ancient samurai and historical figures linked to some of the most powerful clans in Japan also rest among the trails, such as the Tokugawa clan, the dynasty that ruled the country for more than 250 years and marked the beginning of the most stable samurai era in Japanese history. Many of the tombs are decorated with family symbols, Buddhist statues and small offerings that visitors still leave today.

One of the most surprising elements of the place is how tradition and modernity coexist even in such a sacred site. Japanese companies such as Panasonic, Nissan or UCC Coffee have symbolic memorials among the graves, created to spiritually thank the objects, tools or employees that were part of their history.

The atmosphere changes completely at dusk, when the fog begins to mix between the trees and the old lanterns softly illuminate the forest. The whole place conveys a feeling that is difficult to explain, as if time moved much more slowly among the sacred mountains of Koyasan.