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Surrounded by an enormous cemetery, Japan's largest, which contains the tombs of Kukai and many of the major Buddhist figures Japan has known as well as feudal lords and other prominent people. Kukai's mausoleum here is called the Gobyo. it is believed that Kukai, Kobo Daishi, is sitting up in his tomb, waiting for all his sect's believers to die, at which poin he will shepard them to the Western Paradise. For this reason all believers try to have some itme of their bodies entombed here...a strand of hair, a fingernail...so that they will be here to go with Kobo Daishi when the time comes. The lantern hall pictured here contains these remants of humanity with perpetual candles burning until the auspicious moment. It is said that some of these lanterns have been burning for centuries!

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