Staying at a Buddhist temple in Koyasan isn’t just one of the best things you can do in Wakayama Prefecture, it’s one of the best things you can do in Japan. It leaves a lasting memory that will stay you with long after you’ve left the shores of this country.
Just two hours south of Osaka, getting to Mount Koya is a breeze thanks to Japan’s efficient rail network. The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket – a convenient travel pass that offers savings on transportation, meals, souvenirs, and temple admissions – makes the trip even more seamless and affordable.
In this article, we’ll talk about what the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is, what it can do for you, and whether or not it’s worth your investment.
Spoiler alert: It is.
VISIT KOYASAN QUICK LINKS
To help you plan your trip to Mt Koya, I’ve compiled links to temple lodging options and other travel-related services here.
KOYASAN WORLD HERITAGE TICKET
You can purchase a physical Koyasan World Heritage Ticket at select metro stations or a digital version through the Nankai website (mobile only).
SHUKUBO
Recommendations for temple lodging on Mount Koya
EXPERIENCES
OTHER SERVICES
GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT IS THE KOYASAN WORLD HERITAGE TICKET?
The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is a rail pass offered by Nankai Railway. It provides one roundtrip journey between Osaka (or Wakayama) and Mount Koya. It also offers unlimited travel on Koyasan buses and discounts to select tourist attractions, shops, and restaurants for two consecutive days.
The table below shows the pricing structure for the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket (April 2025) from Namba Station. Keep reading to learn the differences between ticket versions.
| Digital Ticket | Physical Ticket | |
| Regular Version (from Namba Station) | JPY 3,140 | JPY 3,540 |
| Limited Express Version (from Namba Station) | JPY 3,690 | JPY 4,090 |
Most travelers will be coming from central Osaka but you can start your journey from other stations in Osaka and Wakayama as well, including Kansai International Airport (KIX). Tap on these links for a complete list of departure stations and prices (regular | limited express).
The following map* shows the route you’ll take from Namba Station.
*Please note that the map above is a simplified version to help you visualize the route. There will be multiple stops between Namba Station and Gokurakubashi Station, the final stop on the Nankai Koya line before boarding the cable car to Koyasan Station.
Regular vs Limited Express Versions
As you can see from the table above, the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is available in regular or limited express versions.
The regular version allows you to ride on all trains on the Nankai Koya line except for limited express trains. If you have a regular ticket and would like to ride a limited express train, then you’ll need to pay a supplemental fee of JPY 790 each way (April 2025). More on this in the FAQs section of this guide.
The limited express version of the ticket allows you to ride limited express trains, but only for the outbound leg of the trip. You’re free to ride any non-limited-express train on the return trip, but if you’d like to ride a limited express train, then you’ll need to pay a supplemental fee of JPY 790.
Digital vs Physical Tickets
Both the regular and limited express versions of the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket are available in digital or physical formats. Available for purchase on the Nankai website (mobile only), digital tickets are cheaper but they must be purchased at least one day before your travel date.
Physical tickets can be purchased on the day of travel at Nankai Railway ticket counters. Physical tickets are more expensive but unlike digital tickets, they’ll entitle you to 20% off on admission to Kongobu-ji, the head temple in Koyasan. More on this in the benefits section of this guide.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE KOYASAN WORLD HERITAGE TICKET?
The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket saves you on transportation costs and offers discounts to a few attractions, restaurants, and shops on Mt Koya.
TRANSPORTATION
Roundtrip Transportation From Osaka (or Wakayama)
As described in the previous section, the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket includes one roundtrip journey between your departure station in Osaka (or Wakayama) and Koyasan. The roundtrip journey can be made within one day or over two consecutive calendar days.
It’s important to note that you cannot get off between your departure station and Gokurakubashi Station, the final station on the Nankai Koya line before transferring to the cable car up Mt Koya.
If you do exit and try to reboard, then you’ll need to pay for the fare between the station where you exited and Gokurakubashi Station. The same goes for the return journey.
Koyasan Buses
The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket entitles you to unlimited travel on local buses in Koyasan for two consecutive calendar days. This includes bus travel between Koyasan Station and the center of town.
DISCOUNTS
The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket entitles you to discounts at a few key attractions in Koyasan. This includes 20% off on admission at the Konpon Daito pagoda, 20% off at Kondo Hall, and JPY 200 off at Reihokan Museum. If you have a physical ticket, then you’ll get 20% off on admission at Kongobu-ji Temple as well.
The pass will also entitle you to discounts (mostly 10% off) at some restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops around town. For example, I saved JPY 190 on this tofu set meal at the Kadohama restaurant.
It’s worth noting that the pass gives you a discount at participating restaurants and attractions once on each calendar day of its validity. So if I wanted to enjoy another meal at Kadohama or revisit Konpon Daito pagoda on day two, then I would have been entitled to another discount.
You can visit the Nankai website for a complete list of participating attractions and establishments. Tap on “Buy Ticket”, and then “Spot List in Koyasan” (mobile only).
KOYASAN WORLD HERITAGE TICKET FAQs
How much is the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket and where can I buy it?
You can purchase a digital version of the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket online from the Nankai website (mobile only). As advised, you’ll need to buy it at least one day in advance since digital tickets can’t be used on the same day of purchase.
Physical tickets can be purchased at ticket counters in Nakai Railway stations, including Namba, Shin-Imamiya, and Kansai International Airport.
Here’s the pricing structure for the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket (April 2025) from Namba Station:
| Digital Ticket | Physical Ticket | |
| Regular Version (from Namba Station) | JPY 3,140 | JPY 3,540 |
| Limited Express Version (from Namba Station) | JPY 3,690 | JPY 4,090 |
How long is it valid for?
The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is valid for up to two (2) consecutive calendar days.
If I use the pass for a roundtrip journey on the first day, is it still valid the next day?
Yes, but only on local Koyasan buses and to avail of discounts at participating attractions and establishments.
The pass is valid for just one roundtrip so if you use it to make a roundtrip journey on the first day, then you can no longer use it to travel between Osaka (or Wakayama) and Koyasan the following day.
How do I use the pass?
DIGITAL VERSION
For train and cable car travel, you can scan the QR code at Nankai Railway ticketing gates equipped with a QR scanner. On Koyasan buses, simply show your pass to the driver.
To avail of discounts at attractions, restaurants, and shops, simply present your pass to a staff member. Each participating establishment has a button they’ll press to register that the discount has been applied for that day (only one discount per establishment per day of validity).
PHYSICAL VERSION
Simply present your ticket to a staff member.
Is the limited express version worth it?
Personally, I don’t think so. Limited Express trains will get you to Gokurakubashi Station from Namba Station roughly 30 minutes faster than non-limited-express trains. Unless you’re doing a day trip or in a hurry, then I don’t really think it’s worth it. I found the non-limited-express trains comfortable enough.
Having said that, non-limited-express trains don’t have reserved seating. If you’d like to be guaranteed a seat, then you may want to purchase a ticket on a limited express train, especially during peak seasons. You can do so at the gate or in advance through the Nankai website.
Is there an alternative to the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket?
The Kansai Railway Pass is a possible alternative. However, it isn’t valid for travel on local buses in Koyasan.
Where can I get more information?
If you need more information about the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket, then you can visit the Nankai website.
IS THE KOYASAN WORLD HERITAGE TICKET WORTH IT?
Yes, absolutely. You’ll recoup your investment just on transportation costs alone.
I paid JPY 3,140 for a regular version of the digital ticket. Without it, I would have paid a total of JPY 3,830 for transportation. I saved an additional JPY 318 on food and JPY 200 on admission as well, bringing up my total savings to JPY 1,208.
Because of the amount you’ll save on transportation, the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is a no-brainer even for day-trippers.
However, if you plan on staying longer than one night in Koyasan, then this pass isn’t for you since it’s only valid for up to two consecutive days.
Disclosure
Some of the links in this assessment of the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket are affiliate links, meaning we’ll get a small commission if you make a purchase at no added cost to you. We only recommend products and services that we use ourselves and firmly believe in. We really appreciate your support as this helps us make more of these free travel guides. Arigato gozaimasu!