Sojiin, located in the center of Mt. Koya, is a Japanese-style accommodation in a Buddhist temple located to the west of Sohonzan Kongobu-ji and in front of Danjo Garan.
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.
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!
The food is exceptional. My kids were a little wary at the emphasis of "vegetarian meals" These were just plain amazing. The room was enormous - much larger than we could have needed and we spent little time there save for sleeping. The onsen was in-hotel and quite nice. The place is as-described everywhere, a Buddhist temple that you get to stay at respectfully. The room and beds were comfortable and warm - and there was snow outside the hotel.
can't get more authentic than this temple stay, so you shouldn't expect too many modern conveniences. Most appreciated thought was the space heater in the tatami bed room (temperatures outside hit 0c)! The included dinner and breakfast consisted of an interesting array of vegetarian dishes, some sourced locally (ie. mushrooms). The location is right off the main road in Koyasan, and steps away from the entrance to the Okunoin cemetery.
I really liked the food, especially the dinner - it was amazing! The futons were fluffy and the public bath was nice. I really enjoyed watching some TV after eating dinner and warming up in a hot bath. The monks were polite and answered all of our questions- I did not experience any rudeness that the other reviews are talking about. They even told us a lot about the current state of the temple after the morning ceremony was over.
Staying here for one night was one of my favorite experiences in my life. Koyasan has a beautiful atmosphere, the temple itself was so calm and peaceful, and the tatami dinner experience in our room was genuinely better than any Michelin star meal. The food (all of it vegetarian Japanese Buddhist cuisine) was incredible. The beds were super comfortable and in general absolutely loved it.
A beautiful Japanese tradition ryokan, with incredibly clean rooms and a gorgeous surrounding area. The staff was incredibly accommodating and welcoming, and brought us dinner and breakfast as well as set up and removed our futons before and after bed time. The additional morning ritual experience added to the enjoyment of our stay.
This is a unique property style in Japan. You are staying in temple lodgings (宿坊, shukubō). We enjoyed our stay, we had a great, simple room with all we needed. The room was on a separate floor to the workings of the temple. It also offered a unique opportunity to learn and observe the practices of the monks and the temple.
The temple and room was absolutely beautiful. Staying at Rengejoin was the hilight of my trip to Japan. I 100% recomend you get the dinner/breakfast package and attend the afternoon meditation and Buddhist ceremony in the morning. Defenetly go to both, as they are each very different.
Staying in Koyasan was a magical experience, we stayed one night which was enough to see the main temples and do a cemetery night walk. The bed was very comfortable and everything was laid out wonderfully for us. Dinner was artfully presented and the morning ceremony was beautiful.
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!
Beautiful space, lovely staff supporting the temple and shukubo. Very clean. Great location in Koyasan. Beautiful vegan meal at breakfast and dinner, tea and snacks provided in your room. Such a unique experience. As they note, it’s not a hotel.
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.
Located in Koyasan itself, the main Buddhist attractions of the area are all just around the corner. We also got to participate in a morning prayer service service with the head monks of the temple and were served a delicious vegan breakfast.
Very comfortable, warm heated room and friendly staff. restaurant was pretty good too :) thanks for having me. I really enjoyed my time here in koyasan. nice change from staying in a temple the night before
Everything ! Masahiro San and his lovely wife were amazing hosts. Fabulous location. Super clean and spacious accommodation. Cheap as chips compared to Koyasans temple lodging prices.
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