A 1000 year-old Buddhist temple, Shukubo Koya-san Eko-in offers Japanese-style accommodation, a beautiful garden and free WiFi.
Yasmin
Belgium
It’s an exceptional place to stay. With real monks that will take you into the Buddhist world. The food is great and we had a beautiful view on the temple and Sakura
Featuring 2-star accommodation, Guest House Suzumeno Kakurembo is set in Koyasan, 37 km from Tama Museum and 37 km from Kishi Station.
Connie
United Kingdom
Lovely comfortable room. Nice staff who really tried to help me with the Kohechi route, and found an English speaker on the phone to help me.
Nice shower and good WiFi, with little lounge area. Thank you
Koyasan Guesthouse Kokuu is situated in Koyasan, famous as the world headquarters of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar.
Pascale
France
Breakfast and dinner with extra charges are proposed during the check-in. Both were very good and tasteful.
Situated in Koyasan in the Wakayama region, 宿坊 光明院 features accommodation with free WiFi and free private parking, as well as access to a hot tub.
Angela
Australia
Lots of effort out into making guests comfortable and feeling welcomed. Food was fantastic, bed comfortable, room was nice and all the temple activities were great. Highly recommended!
清浄心院 is situated in Koyasan, 39 km from Kishi Station, 45 km from Matsushita Park, and 45 km from Itakiso Shrine. It is set 39 km from Tama Museum and features full-day security.
Gabriela
Brazil
Amazing experience!!! There is a heater in the room, so even if you are traveling during the cold season, you can sleep in a heated room. Great typical dinner, and excellent location.
Situated in Koyasan and only 39 km from Tama Museum, 高野山 真田坊 蓮華定院 -Koyasan Sanadabo Rengejoin- features accommodation with garden views, free WiFi and free private parking.
Elizabeth
United Kingdom
The whole experience was wonderful including the meditation in the evening and chanting in the morning with the monks.
This temple is very remote. The area is beautiful and the hiking was great. There is an extra tour option of the cemetery. I thought with the price we were paying that this tour should have been included.
A
Anonymous
United States
8.0
Scored 8.0
Pretty town, huge graveyard, worth exploring but just one...
Pretty town, huge graveyard, worth exploring but just one day needed - Either pay for the decent hotels and experience the true temple koyasan experience or book a lodging and explore the area. Our expensive (but cheapest temple room) felt super touristy and set up. Food was awful. - Its pretty long to get there from Osaka also.
Nicole
United Kingdom
10
Scored 10
I would definitely recommend the experience of staying one...
I would definitely recommend the experience of staying one night at any of the temples and also the Okonuin Night Tour is a real must! Apart from one person and the Guide (Nobu) the staff of Eko-in was somewhat arrogant and be prepared for an uncomfortable and short night, but a delicious and huge dinner and breakfast. The sights and nature are stunning and beautiful, really serene and perfect to contrast the buzz of every big City. We bought the digital Heritage Pass and tool the Limited Express Train to Koya, I would recommend! Apart from the Bus from the Cable Car to our Temple we walked to every sight by foot, since they are not far from each other and the whole town is a complex of a „Sight“. The Tokugawa Mausoleum was especially astonishing, since it’s full of Japanese history.
We will absolutely visit Koyasan again, but I would not choose a Templestay again.
Ivana
Austria
10
Scored 10
Okunoin Cemetery night tour is a must do activity.
Okunoin Cemetery night tour is a must do activity. So much of our understanding of Japanese Buddhism and Koyasan’s role in its history was informed by the monk who was our guide. We checked out Okunoin Temple and the cemetery the next day, too. It is a very special place.
Evelyn
Australia
10
Scored 10
It is imperative to stay in a temple - the vegetarian meals...
It is imperative to stay in a temple - the vegetarian meals at our temple were delicious and had many courses. The town has so many temples and good hiking opportunities, we could have stayed longer - but my husband was too much of a foreigner to stay in the temple for two nights. The wonderful Okunoin Cemetery and shrine with an ancient forest was a special treat - we spent an entire morning there, and it was a nice surprise that the buddhist monks take their stewardship of the natural environment so seriously that there is even a forestry department of the temple. Other temples were equally awe-inspiring.
Sarah
United States
10
Scored 10
Getting to Koyasan is complicated if you don’t have a car.
Getting to Koyasan is complicated if you don’t have a car. If you are coming from Kyoto, save your time and take the direct express bus (about 2.5 hours). Book your tickets online at Japan Bus Online. If you up for the challenge then the trains but plan ahead!! There are many transfers and if you get on a local train instead of an express/rapid, it could double the time it takes to get there. Also, go to the train station at least half an hour early to buy all your tickets including the cable car and local bus. There is a Koyasan Heritage ticket from Kansai train stations (cannot use JR pass) that includes roundtrip from Osaka to Koyasan plus 2 days of free local bus rides in Koyasan. For the Koyasan local bus, if you don’t have a bus pass, then have some cash to pay. Sometimes the credit card machine doesn’t work and you must pay with local currency (in coins). I think the easiest (not the cheapest) option from Osaka is to get on the Kansai (not JRtrain) train from Namba Station. Don’t take my word for it, double check! Once you get to Koyasan, enjoy the experience!
This is a Buddhist temple that has all the charm of the history and modern amenities like the bathroom and shower in the larger rooms. I was late to check in so I missed the dinner time but the staff was so kind and saved my dinner for me when I arrived so I could eat. It was amazing and such a wonderful hospitality that I will never forget! I was also ucky to be upgraded to a larger room with a private bathroom and a beautiful view of the garden. The meals provided are also delicious and made with such care. I was very impressed!
An excellent property that is very modern and clean. Everything is explained as soon as you check in. The English spoken here is exceptional - which is amazing for international travellers. I would say that communication here is better than a lot of other large cities in Japan.
The vegetarian food was plentiful for dinner and breakfast. The grounds were also beautiful within the property and in Koyasan.
Staying at Saizen-in in Koyasan was such a nice and interesting experience. We got to try the monks' vegetarian cuisine for dinner in our bedroom (can't say my western taste buds enjoyed much of it, but it's all about the experience) and for breakfast (served at 7:30 after the morning prayer, which we were able to attend). I can't explain why, but I had such a profound night's sleep.
Very friendly and accommodating hosts! The guest house was at a great location (very close to the bus stop and a convenience store) and the family room was very spacious and clean. Would definitely stay here again and I highly recommend it if you are not planning to do a temple stay at Koyasan! I also highly recommend visiting the cafe - great croissants and drinks!
Cosy temple stay in a central part of Koyasan. Spacious rooms with tatami flooring and comfortable futon beds.There were several restaurants nearby, so we didn't need to rely on konbini food for dinner - would recommend Ponpoko which was 300m away. Watching the monks' morning ceremony at 6:30am was very special.
Koyasan is an experience that you should not miss. This temple is in a good location, close to a bus stop, but you can also walk to the cemetery. The morning ceremonies were an awesome experience, and the food was great! Room was as expected, very traditional and very very cold at night.
Both the temple and Koyasan itself are beautiful and peaceful, offering an escape from the modern world. While it is rather pricey compared to usual accomodation in Japan, it is a temple and as such offers an experience, not just accomodation. In my opinion this justifies the price.
A lovely buddhist ryokan style lodge. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The room was large and the futon beds were very comfy. Amazing veggie 7-course dinner was laid out for us in the evening as well as breakfast. The monk ceremony in the morning was also great to experience.
Beautiful traditional japanese room in a buddhist temple very close to other places of interest in Koyasan. The meals are nicely presented also in a traditional tatami room and you can join meditation at 2 times during the day. Staff is super respectful and friendly
Ideally situated directly next to Okunoin. Ryochi was very nice and helpful, he speaks perfect english and communication was easy, which was refreshing in Japan. I slept very well and the fire was very nice to warm up after freezing temperatures exploring Koyasan!
The hosts Tommy-san and his lovely wife were very friendly and accommodating. It’s seldom you find hosts who seem genuinely interested in your welfare. Also, the toilet and bath areas were brand new. This venue is right smack near the Koyasan main avenue.
It’s very hard to read this property because you cannot really compare it to a normal hotel experience. It is not a luxury experience in that sense. But it is a very nice lodging within a temple of Buddhist monks. The experience is extremely interesting.
Sleeping a night in a buddhist temple is an incredjble experience. Koyasan is a very special place in Japan, making it worth to stay overnight here. The rooms were spatious and the bathroom was clean and confortable. Staff were helpful and nice.
Staying at this monastery was a unique experience and a must-do for any overnight visitors to Koyasan. The room was basic but very comfortable and the dinner was superb.
Thank you so much Nori for a great experience. We will miss the guesthouse and Koyasan. I will definitely come back again the next time I am visiting Koyasan.
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