Koyasan does not have a geographic mountain called Koyasan, and is a so-called “one mountain precinct” where the entire Koyasan area is considered to be the precincts of a temple.  Koyasan is the entire temple town of Kongobu-ji Temple, which is located in a mountain top basin with an altitude of about 800m surrounded by 1,000m-class mountains.  The temperature is 5-10°C lower than Osaka throughout the year, and even in midsummer it rarely exceeds 30°C.  Even with the recent heat wave, the temperature remains around 27°C, which is a completely different world.  In the precincts of large cedar trees, hydrangeas are blooming, and in addition to Abura-zemi cicadas that play the leading role at this time of year, Tsukutsuku-bohshi cicadas are also singing actively in the daytime.  Unfortunately, the number of foreign tourists that used to be so large has almost disappeared in the last three years.

高野山は、高野山という地理学上の山はなく、高野山全域が寺の境内地とされる、いわゆる「一山境内地」です。周囲を1,000m級の山々に囲まれた標高約800mの山上盆地に開かれた、金剛峯寺の門前町全体を高野山と呼んでいます。年間を通して大阪より気温は５～10℃近く低く、真夏でも30°Cを越えることは滅多にありません。猛暑日が続く最近の気温でもずっと27°C前後で、全くの別天地です。杉の大木が林立する境内には、紫陽花が花を咲かせ、この時期主役のアブラゼミの鳴き声ではなく、昼間にもヒグラシが盛んに鳴いています。残念なのは、あんなに多かった外国人観光客が、この３年、ほとんど見かけなくなったことです。