A new luxury sightseeing train connecting Osaka to a UNESCO-listed sacred mountain will launch this spring, carrying passengers along historic pilgrimage routes towards Buddhist temple complexes and Japan’s largest cemetery.
Nankai Electric Railway Co. has announced that its Gran Tenku service will launch on 24 April 2026. The train will run between Osaka’s Namba Station and Gokurakubashi Station in Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture. The 90-minute journey will begin in the heart of Osaka and culminate in a spectacular 20-kilometre ascent through 24 tunnels as the train climbs towards the sacred peaks, offering panoramic views of lush, forested hills.
Advertised as awakening the “spirit of discovery in every traveller,” the journey promises to take passengers through “a living tapestry of history, industry, craftsmanship, and culinary flavour” between the “mystical heritage site of Koyasan” and the vibrant, cosmopolitan district of Namba.
Nankai Electric Railway has unveiled the exterior design of the new sightseeing train, "GRAN Tenku" 🎉 🧭
— Japan Station (@JPNStation) February 17, 2026
This new train will operate between Osaka Namba and Gokurakubashi (Mt. Koya).
The train's emblem features a compass motif representing both direction and time. pic.twitter.com/cvEq6kXjlP
Blending skylines and mountains, whispers of the past and the present, the ordinary and the extraordinary, the train invites travellers to immerse themselves in Japanese culture from the moment they step aboard, beginning with the food on offer. Depending on the time of departure, seasonal breakfasts, lunches, or afternoon tea sets are included.
The train itself is designed with understated luxury in mind and features warm tones of gold and deep red. It comprises four carriages and can accommodate around 70 passengers. The first carriage has reclining seats for relaxed sightseeing, and the second has a configuration that maximises views of the scenery. The third and fourth cars are expected to include a lounge space and a sofa-style seating for a more convivial, dining-oriented atmosphere.
Upon arrival at Gokurakubashi Station, passengers can transfer directly to the cable car that ascends the final steep stretch to Mount Koya.
Nankai Railway has revealed its new sightseeing train: GRAN Tenku, launching in late 2025.
— Japan Station (@JPNStation) October 26, 2025
Running between Namba and Gokurakubashi, the gateway to Mount Koya, GRAN Tenku invites travelers on a refined journey through nature and culture in Wakayama.
The train’s design features a… pic.twitter.com/wkTbK7E2T8
A sacred mountain and its vast resting place
Kōyasan (Mount Kōya), the heart of Shingon Buddhism in Japan. It was founded in the early 9th century by the monk Kūkai, who is now known as Kobo Daishi. Situated on a forested plateau approximately 900 metres above sea level, the site comprises more than 100 temples and shrines. It forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”
The head temple complex, Kongōbu-Ji, and the Okunoin mausoleum, where Kobo Daishi is believed not to have died but to remain in eternal meditation, are among the most revered sites. The Okunoin cemetery, which surrounds the mausoleum, is the largest in Japan, with over 200,000 gravestones lining moss-covered paths beneath towering cedar trees.
For centuries, devotees have believed that being buried near Kobo Daishi would ensure them spiritual merits and bring them closer to enlightenment. Feudal lords, samurai, merchants, and ordinary believers all sought a place in the cemetery close to the revered monk.
Beyond the temples and tombstones, visitors can follow historic pilgrimage trails. One of the best known is the Fudōzaka Trail, which begins at Gokurakubashi Station and leads up to the Fudōzaka-guchi Nyonindō Hall. From here, pilgrims can continue along the former Women’s Pilgrimage Route towards the entrance of Okunoin.
Many temples offer shukubō, or temple lodging, where guests can sleep on futons, dine on traditional vegetarian shōjin ryōri cuisine, and join monks for morning prayers if they wish.
Bookings open one month before launch. Trains will depart twice daily at 9 a.m. and 12:45, returning to Osaka at 10:46 and 2:58 p.m., respectively. The service will stop at Shin-Imamiya, Tengachaya, Sakaihigashi, Kongō, Kawachinagano, Rinkanden-entoshi, and Hashimoto. One-way fares start at approximately €9.30, excluding the special sightseeing supplement and cable car fare.
