As the subtitle of Philip L. Nicoloff's book indicates, Sacred Kōyasan takes its reader on a journey to Mount Kōya today, and also through its history and that of its founder, Kōbō Daishi Kūkai. It begins with a description of the Nankai train trip that brings travelers to the mountain today, followed in chapter 2 by a description of the shukubō experience, that of staying in a temple on the mountain. Chapter 3 offers a detailed account of the life of Kūkai, the founder of the Mount Kōya temple complex and the patriarch of Shingon (mantra) Buddhism in Japan. From there, the author turns his attention to the twelve centuries of the history of the temple complex, all in order to give the background for subsequent descriptions of the physical plan of the Garan, the oldest area (chapter 5), some other important institutions nearby (chapter 6), the temple town that is interleaved with the various cloisters on the mountain (chapter 7), and the life course of monks on the mountain (chapter 8). The narrative then traces the route from the Garan to the Oku-no-In mausoleum of Kōbō Daishi through the sprawling Mount Kōya cemetery (chapters 9–10). With the history and physical layout of the complex now amply (even exhaustively) documented, the author devotes the final chapters to descriptions of some of the most important annually observed rituals on the mountain, including the celebration of Kūkai's birthday, the ritual of the changing of his robes, and seasonal rituals for the dead. The book ends with a brief chapter on “Leaving the Mountain” to complete the pilgrimage that Nicoloff has taken the reader on.

For those who have been to the mountain, the contents of this book should bring memories streaming back, and also illuminate sites on the mountain whose meanings otherwise may have been obscure. For those planning to go to the mountain, this book offers an extraordinary way to prepare. Its explanation of the layout of the mountain, its history, its edifices, and the practices carried on there can fairly be described as encyclopedic, and the value of the book stems from having all this information in one handy resource. A visitor to the mountain is well advised to read this book before going, and carry it along to refer to while there.

That said, those unfamiliar with Buddhism in general and Japanese religion and history in particular may find the book overwhelming at points. Throughout, the author makes reference to Buddhist concepts, practices, and deities, as well as Shinto concepts such as Japanese kami, not to mention nearly every religious and political figure to have any connection to the mountain throughout its entire history. Chapter 2, which covers the history of the mountain, in particular contains an extraordinary amount of detailed information, though the author deserves praise for his efforts to situate the history of the Mount Kōya complex in the broader history of Japan. This very important history has been largely neglected in Western-language accounts of the history of Japan, and along the way, the author unintentionally reveals a variety of areas where more historical research is needed. Shingon Buddhism and its institutions (including, but not only, Mount Kōya and Tōji) have yet to receive the attention they deserve in accounts of Japan's religious, social, and political history, especially from the twelfth century onward, and a great deal of detailed historical research, especially about the social importance of Mount Kōya and the attendant cult of Kōbō Daishi, remains undone.

The unspoken tension in this book, and indeed on the mountain itself, is captured in its subtitle, “The Mountain Temple of St. Kōbō Daishi and the Great Sun Buddha.” The author's detailed descriptions of the history, architecture, and practices on the mountain make it clear enough that both Saint Kōbō Daishi and Dainichi (Mahavairocana, the great Sun Buddha) stand at the center of the mountain's many meanings. Moreover, as the author's description of the transmission of the mantra-dharma from Hui Guo to Kūkai (p. 44) suggests, there is no small conflation between Dainichi and Kōbō Daishi. But it is the opinion of this reviewer that it is the salvific figure of Odaishi-sama, and not Dainichi or Shingon esoteric practice, upon which the long history and present-day vitality of Mount Kōya rest. The author of Sacred Kōyasan offers no opinion about this question, nor is there any reason for him to do so, for that is not the purpose of this book. Rather, it is a profound expression of affection for what is arguably one of the most fascinating and complex religious edifices in the world, and Nicoloff has done a valuable service by gathering together an extraordinary amount of material that the English-language reader would otherwise have to search through many volumes to acquire.