Discover the best Temple lodgings in Wakayama Prefecture, Kinki including Ekoin Temple, Koyasan, Yochiin, Saizen-in, Mt.Koya Kumagaiji, Hongakuin, Henjoko-in, Fumonin, Zofukuin, Koyasan Fudoin Temple, Jokiin.
Things to do in Wakayama Prefecture
4.5 based on 608 reviews
【History of Ekoin】A 1000 year-old Buddhist temple, Shukubo Koya-san Eko-in offers Japanese-style accommodation, a beautiful garden, and free Wi-Fi. Guests are free to attend Buddhist morning services, the Goma fire ritual and meditation.【Rooms&Facilities】Rooms feature tatami-mat floors, traditional futon beds and paper sliding screens. They are fitted with an LCD TV and a safe. Bathroom facilities are shared, and the public baths are open only from 4 pm-10 pm daily.【Meals】Meals are served at the guest room at scheduled times and feature Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Groups of more than 4 people dine at the Japanese-style dining room, where chairs can be provided upon advance request.【Surroundings】Shukubo Temple is close to other ancient Buddhist buildings such as Kongobu-ji Temple, which is a 10 minute walk. The Ichi-no-Hashi entrance to the ancient Okuno-In Temple is a 3 minute walk away.*Guests can experience group meditation, and they can write Buddhist texts with a brush and ink on scrolls at their room. They can also go hiking in the scenic surroundings of Koya-san Eko-in. The temple has a lounge with a computer corner.
First time staying in this type of facility but really enjoyed it. Good proximity to other temples in Koyasan. Enjoyed their vegan meals and fire ritual. Staff, who are monks themselves, are very good. Limited facilitiesand most of them are sharing type. Thought price per person was a bit on the high side
4 based on 108 reviews
We arrived a little later than we should have... but the young moms who greeted us were charming and very hospitable. Our room was clean and the futons on the tatami floor were perfectly comfortable although we surprised that the beds had been prepared facing the wall. Showers and baths were to be taken only until 4.30pm and not in the mornings... so we enjoyed the wonderful huge 'jacuzzi' bath before an early-is night. We'd eaten earlier and had missed any chance of supper. We were woken at 6am and shown into the temple area for prayers. Other than the same young monk from the night before, only visitors were present... which was pity as we would have preferred to be amongst the monks in order to observe their behaviour. In turn, we each knelt, prayed and put pinches of incense into the embers. The monk chanted and recited for over an hour... very impressive if a little wearing on those unaccustomed to kneeling or crouching for so long. Overall, a good experience and one we were pleased to undergone.
4 based on 105 reviews
A temple with a rich history, Saizen-in was opened by Jakumyu Ajari during the Heian Period above the valley near Danjo Garan shorty after Kobo Daishi founded Koyasan. Kakuban Shonin, the founder of the Shingi Shingon sect, which is responsible for popularizing within Japan the ritual of chanting to the Amida Buddha, came to Koyasan to be trained under Jakumyu Ajari. Later on, Shinran Shonin visited Koyasan, where it is said he devoted himself to studying the Amida chant.
My rating is given in relation to my expectation. The price per night at this temple is lower than at most of the other temples. You still get the entire experience, traditional rooms, quietude, very friendly staff, hot bath and a good dinner, which is Buddhist vegetarian. The food is beautifully arranged, however it might be slightly better at some of the other more expensive temples, but it was still excellent. If you want to experience the temple stay, without spending a fortune, this is the place. And it is located just next to the great pagoda
4.5 based on 94 reviews
Kumagaiji is a temple where you can stay. You sleep in a very spacious Ryokan-style room. Bathrooms and onsen are shared, but very clean. You share your dinner and breakfast with the rest of the tourists, eating the typical (vegetarian) meals that the monks eat. You can also attend the religious ceremony they do early in the morning (6am). The temple is next to the cemetery (a must-see!) And as it is a small town you can walk everywhere. I was hoping it would be a less "touristy" mink. It is not so much a temple where tourists are integrated with the monks, it is a temple turned into a tourist hotel. You eat in a dining room where there are only tourists. Religious activity is aimed at the tourists.
4 based on 41 reviews
We stayed here one night because of the Obon festival. (13th of August.. this was great btw) We have been staying at several temples before. This one was the most expensive of all. (1 night, €267,-) We expected a lot for this price. However all the facilities were really old. The rooms were ok but the futons were old. Really overcrowded with up to 50(?) guests. Everybody had dinner together and had to use the collective Japanese (decayed) bathroom. A lot of mess in the hallways and everything had to happen in a rush because of the large amount of guests. One advise: choose a different accommodation in Kōya San. Kōya San is great to visit!
4 based on 66 reviews
personally I think if prefer to sleep on floor, want to taste food (was not nice at all) , and bath in comunal (with others and NO clothes on) and early morning ceremony (which no one explain what is all about and didn't understand word or what is all happening) then this is the place. please check before book. this is only my opinion.
4 based on 25 reviews
I stayed at Fumon-in as part of a group of 8. Everyone in our group enjoyed their rooms, with much-appreciated heating in mid-November. We especially liked our dinner and breakfast which were served for our group in a private tatami-mat room (with low chairs). Most of our group appreciated having western beds in a Japanese style room with views of the lovely garden. One of us stayed in a large tatami-mat room with futons and a shared bathroom down the hall. It was a little inconvenient, but not a big issue for one night. All of the staff people we met were friendly and welcoming, including the priest who led the morning prayer service and explained some of the Buddhist symbols in the sanctuary.
4 based on 10 reviews
We felt a little exploited, very cold and quick to collect payment on arrival, which is fine but not particularly welcoming. Very clean and basic, as is the food. 9pm curfew makes for a very long evening. Very uncomfortable beds and ‘pillows’. No bathing/shower facilities after 10pm or in the morning! The ceremony at 6.30am was not inclusive or uplifting, felt like the three monks were going through the motions for the guests. Koyasan is very nice, amazing temples and beautiful trees.
4.5 based on 183 reviews
Fudoin is a temple based on the teaching of Fudomyo-o (a saint who is the symbol of determination), founded as one of the twelve temples by Saiko, a high monk, in Nishitani in 906 and located in the southern part of the centre of the mountain, which a very convenient area for a visit. The temple is also known as the main temple for the Yamashinas (an Imperial family branch) and is called "Yamashina Betsuin". Bifukumonin, the Emperess of Emperor Toba, was a devout follower of Kobodaishi and buried here at Fudoin, just as she wished in her will, in respect for her life-time contributions to the temple, such as donating Konshi-Kindei Amida-kyo and three Amida statues. At this temple, you can enjoy your meals with a great view of our relaxing and beautiful garden, attend the morning devotional service and read and transcribe scriptures in a quiet environment, far away from traffic. This will be your "ultimate healing experience", which only this historic temple can offer.
I actually stayed here around 2016. I loved Koyasan and loved this stay, even more! I’d go back to Japan just to stay here, again. The monks singing is magical and I got THE BEST SLEEP I’VE EVER HAD on their tatami beds! And I am a notoriously picky sleeper. They had these amazingly soft comforters, which you could layer, and it felt like sleeping in a cloud! I’ve been searching for them since and have never figured out how to replicate them. And our room was huge and the dinner was, literally, the only good food I had in all of Japan! Probably bc it was vegan, so there were no worms (that look like French fries) or “vegetarian” surprises, like snail eggs or ink gushing squid, etc. Love Koyasan, and this was the best!!!!
4.5 based on 65 reviews
Welcome to Jokiin temple. We are very happy to see you. Please let us introduce briefly about this temple. The history of Jokiin Temple originated 1,200 years ago. Bodhisattva Temple Jokiin was founded by Doukou Daishi Jikkei Shonin, who was well known as the first pupil to come up to Mt.Koya with Kobo Daishi as well as top excellent pupil of Kobo Daishi. When Kobo Daishi founded Mt. Koya, he ordered his pupils Jikkei Shonin and Taihan Shonin to build this temple as their accommodation. However, Shingaku Shonin restored it when the temples were declined in the middle ages. It was more than 800 years ago. Shingaku Shonin was from Omi region and he climbed up Mt. Koya to learn Shingon sect, after becoming the disciple of Tendai sect. Then he restored Jokiin Temple and became the monk of Mt. Koya. His name was on "Honcho Kosoden" (biography of high ranking monks by Mangen Shiban) / "Ojo-den" etc., formed a school of Jokiin. And he was the top scholar monk at the time who finished Besson Zakki – 57 Scrolls, that has been kept in Ninna-ji Temple, Omuro, Kyoto. Jokiin has undergone many changes after Shingaku Shonin passed away, its location has been moved from Ojyoin-dani to Odawara-dani in the start of Genroku era in the Edo period (1688). In the first year of Genji Era (1864) during the end of the Edo period, the entire building was burnt down due to conflagration, it was being transferred to and reconstructed next to the current location of the “Rokujino-kane”, and has been merged with the Raigei-in Temple and Mimoroin Temple till now. Currently, Jokiin Temple is surrounded by Kongobu-ji Temple / Rokujino-kane / Danjo Garan (the precinct for religious practices) / Daishi Organization etc., in the center of Mt. Koya which is a very convenient location for visitors to stay, pray at each places or walk through and so on. Jokiin Temple has a deep relationship especially with Enshu, Owari, Gifu and Ise regions since Edo era, also after the war, all the prayers have been visiting freely no matter where they come from and repose their ancestors' souls by creating monuments in here, Jokiin Temple, as their Bodhisattva Temple. The tradition of Shukubo started quite a long time ago, as it was recorded already during the period of ASHIKAGA. The origin was from the locals made a rule of providing accommodations for monks or priests who were constantly on training and made a thatched hut at the mountain, or visitors from far and local distances who made a mentor relationship on their travel follow their masters. Besides, there is no general Ryokan nor Touristic Hotel at Mt. Koya. The visitors stay in Shukubo, which is officially called Shoenbo (associated lodge), as a traditional habits for prayers at Mt. Koya. There are 52 Shukubo out of 116 temples of Mt. Koya. Each of them has been prestigious since the past, kept many Temple treasures, enshrined remarkably miraculous Honzon and prepared with general facilities. Enjoy some neat Buddhist vegetarian food in a quiet Shukubo, clean up your mind and body also free your mind for a little while. Is it not important to have such moment in our busy modern world? For either of them, Mt. Koya has been a holy place where Kobo Daishi founded as for primal training for Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism. We, all the staff of this temple would be extremely happy, if you could feel such moment. Thank you,
We stayed here in Oct 2018 for 1 night with a friend, we wanted to experience staying at a Buddhist temple and a short stop at Koya-san provided this opportunity. We stayed in a Japanese style room which was great, the room opened to an inner courtyard/garden. Vegetarian Japanese dinner and breakfast was included and it was a beautiful feast, more filling than what I expected. Check-in is between 3pm-5pm but as early arrivals we could leave our bags in the office/lobby. Check-out was at 10am and again they kindly stored our luggage for us until we had to leave. The ryokan is in a central location which was important to us because we could easily walk to all the sights in town. Dinner was at 5:30pm, breakfast at 7am, there was an evening curfew at 10pm and the Buddhist ceremony in the morning was at 5:50. Staying here was not a cheap option but the whole experience was just fantastic, we really got value for our money. I highly recommend this temple and would stay here again.
ThingsTodoPost © 2018 - 2024 All rights reserved.