Illustrations of the Life of Koyasan Daishi, Colored on

A Sacred Handscroll Telling the Life of Japan's Most Beloved Saint

High in the misty cedar forests of Mt. Koya, where Japan's most sacred Buddhist sanctuary has stood for over twelve centuries, a remarkable painted handscroll has been carefully preserved at the temple of Jizo-in. Known as the Paper, Color: Illustrated Biography of Kobo Daishi (Volume 1 Supplementary Copy), this work belongs to one of Japan's most important pictorial traditions — the visual storytelling of the life of Kukai, the revered founder of Shingon Buddhism.

For visitors who venture beyond the standard temple circuit, encountering this artistic and spiritual treasure offers a deeply moving glimpse into how generations of Japanese pilgrims have understood the saint they affectionately call Kobo Daishi.

Who Was Kobo Daishi Kukai?

Kukai (774–835), known posthumously as Kobo Daishi, is one of the most influential figures in Japanese religious and cultural history. Born in what is today Kagawa Prefecture, he traveled to Tang-dynasty China in 804, where he received the full transmission of esoteric Buddhist teachings from Master Huiguo. Upon returning to Japan, he founded the Shingon school and, in 816, established his mountain monastery at Koyasan with imperial approval from Emperor Saga.

Beyond his religious accomplishments, Kukai is celebrated as a master calligrapher, an engineer, an educator, and even a mythologized cultural hero credited with countless miracles. According to tradition, he did not die in 835 but entered eternal meditation at Mt. Koya, where devotees still believe he continues to pray for all beings.

The Genre: Illustrated Biographies of Kobo Daishi

From the Kamakura period (1185–1333) onward, narrative handscrolls depicting the lives of founding masters became extremely popular as teaching tools and objects of devotion. For Shingon Buddhism, the most important of these were the various versions of the Koya Daishi Gyojo Zue ("Illustrated Acts of the Master of Mt. Koya").

Scholars generally identify three main lineages of these scrolls: a six-volume version, a ten-volume version, and a twelve-volume Kobo Daishi Gyojo Ekotoba. Each illustrates dozens of episodes — birth omens, childhood prodigies, the dramatic voyage to China, the throwing of the three-pronged vajra toward Japan, the founding of Mt. Koya, and the master's final entry into meditation.

The Treasure Held at Jizo-in

Among Japan's monastic collections, Jizo-in on Mt. Koya holds a particularly esteemed set of these illustrated scrolls. The temple's holdings have long been recognized as foundational works in this tradition. While the surviving original volumes date to medieval times, certain portions — including the first volume — were carefully copied in later centuries to replace or supplement damaged or missing sections. This is the meaning of "Supplementary Copy" (補写, hosha) in the title: a faithful reproduction created by skilled later artists to restore the integrity of the complete set.

Why This Work Was Designated an Important Cultural Property

The supplementary first volume holds a status that may seem paradoxical at first — it is not the original, yet it is treasured as a national-level cultural property. Several factors explain this designation.

Continuity of a Living Tradition

The act of supplementing or copying scrolls was not regarded as mere reproduction in pre-modern Japan. It was a sacred duty that ensured the spiritual narrative would remain whole for future generations. The supplementary first volume is thus a tangible expression of unbroken devotion across centuries.

Artistic Achievement

Producing a faithful copy of a medieval handscroll required exceptional skill. The supplementary volume preserves not only the scenes themselves but also the brushwork conventions, color palette, and compositional grammar of the earlier exemplar. As such, it serves as an irreplaceable witness to lost portions of the original.

Historical Documentation

The illustrated biographies are not just art — they are documents of how the legend of Kobo Daishi evolved over time. Each scene records what people of a particular era considered most meaningful about the saint. The Jizo-in scrolls together form a touchstone for understanding how Kukai was venerated.

Highlights and What to Look For

Although direct viewing of the supplementary first volume is rare, understanding what its scenes depict transforms any visit to Mt. Koya into a richer experience.

Scenes of Birth and Childhood

The first volume traditionally opens with episodes from Kukai's birth and early life. According to the legends, his parents dreamed of a holy man flying from India and entering his mother's womb. As a small child, Kukai is said to have sat upon eight-petaled lotus flowers conversing with the buddhas. These dreamlike scenes are rendered with great delicacy in the emaki tradition.

The Path to Ordination

The scrolls portray young Kukai's path to ordination at Makinoo, his arduous mountain training, and his early scholarly accomplishments — including the writing of his famous youthful work Sango Shiiki, which compared the merits of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.

Visual Conventions of the Emaki Form

Visitors familiar with European illustrated manuscripts will find Japanese handscrolls fascinatingly different. The scrolls are read horizontally from right to left, and the same character may appear multiple times within a single scene as the narrative progresses — a technique called iji-do-zu ("different-time, same-image"). Architectural settings are often shown with the roof removed in fukinuki yatai style, allowing viewers to peer into rooms.

Visiting Mt. Koya and Encountering the Treasure

While the supplementary first volume itself is rarely on public display — like most fragile painted handscrolls, it is preserved in carefully controlled conditions — visitors can experience the broader Jizo-in collection and the wider world of Kobo Daishi devotion in several wonderful ways.

The Reihokan (Treasure Museum)

Built in 1921 and expanded several times since, the Koyasan Reihokan houses tens of thousands of artworks and religious objects from the temples on Mt. Koya. Special exhibitions periodically feature volumes (or high-quality replicas) from the Jizo-in scrolls, allowing visitors to see scenes from the life of Kobo Daishi up close.

Visiting Jizo-in

Jizo-in itself was founded in the late 12th century by the priest Sonkai. Although the temple's most prized scrolls are not on regular view, the temple itself remains a peaceful subtemple of Mt. Koya that conveys the contemplative atmosphere of the mountain. Always observe ordinary courtesies expected at active religious sites and check ahead regarding visitor access.

Getting to Mt. Koya

From Osaka, take the Nankai Koya Line from Namba Station to Gokurakubashi (about 90 minutes by limited express), then transfer to the cable car to Koyasan Station, followed by a short bus ride into the temple town. The journey itself, climbing through ancient cedar forests, is part of the pilgrimage experience.

Surrounding Attractions on Mt. Koya

A trip to Mt. Koya rewards visitors with a constellation of sacred sites that together form one of Asia's most extraordinary religious landscapes. The mountain has been inscribed by UNESCO as part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" since 2004.

Okunoin

The forested cemetery leading to Kukai's mausoleum is the spiritual heart of Mt. Koya. Stretching for two kilometers, the path is lined with over 200,000 tombstones and memorials, illuminated by stone lanterns under towering cryptomeria trees. At its end stands the Torodo (Lantern Hall) where, according to faith, Kukai continues his eternal meditation.

Danjo Garan

The original monastic compound founded by Kukai himself, Danjo Garan is dominated by the vermilion Konpon Daito (Great Pagoda) — a soaring two-storied structure intended as a three-dimensional representation of the cosmic mandala.

Kongobu-ji

The head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism features Japan's largest rock garden, the Banryutei, and exquisite painted sliding doors. Tea and sweets are offered to visitors in the great hall.

Shukubo Temple Lodgings

More than fifty temples on Mt. Koya welcome overnight guests in the shukubo tradition. Spending a night allows visitors to experience monastic vegetarian cuisine (shojin ryori) and morning prayer services.