he headquarters of the Japanese Shingon Buddhist sect sits high atop Mt. Koya in Wakayama prefecture. The temple complex houses more than 110 monasteries. At 5 AM the bells ring in unison, calling monks to their early morning meditation. As the chanting swells from a nearby room, a monk begins to pile up sticks for the Goya ceremony — an ancient ritual of fire. No matter what your religious beliefs, Koyasan is a palpably sacred place.

Bracketing is essential in these complicated low-light conditions. After trying numerous exposures, the best shot with 200 ASA film, was 8 seconds on my Nikon F100 and 20mm lens.

A Sacred Place