//
Town in Kansai, Japan
Photo: Naokijp, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kudoyama (九度山) is a town of 4,000 people (2021) in Wakayama. The town has long been regarded as the gateway to the temples of Mount Koya.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
慈尊院
This Shingon Buddhist temple functions as the start for pilgrims planning to pilgrimage to Mount Koya, it is inscribed as part of the Mount Koya due to this religious significance. The temple is also a destination for women struggling with motherly issues such as child birth, this is because the temple served as the residence Kukai's mother.
丹生官省符神社
It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".
Clean, functional lodging located inside Koyashita station (高野下駅), the next one up the mountain from central Kudoyama. Rooms are decorated with railway memorabilia, and you'll get to watch actual trains trundling just outside your window. There are no staff on site and no stores in the immediate vicinity, so bring dinner and reheat it in the microwave. Prices include an onigiri (rice ball) breakfast coupon for downtown Kudoyama.
By car
Kudoyama is easily accessible from the rest of Kansai, the town is roughly 90 minutes by car from Osaka and Nara, and two hours from Kyoto.
On foot
Kudoyama's temple of Jison (covered in See) is the starting point of the ancient Chōishi-michi (町石道) pilgrimage trail to Mount Koya.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Osaka · International · KIX
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Kudoyama and Japan.
Travel tipsCheck if you need a visa for Japan in 2026. Discover visa-exempt nationalities, eVisa eligibility, stay durations, and how to use Visit Japan Web QR codes.
7 min read
Travel tipsPlan for Japan's new travel costs in 2026. Learn about the ¥3,000 international departure tax, tiered hotel taxes in Kyoto, and Mt Fuji trail fees.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
ItinerariesPlan a trip to Japan with kids in 2026. Discover a family-tested 10-day itinerary with theme parks, bullet trains, and practical parenting tips.
8 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.