Eko-in Temple (Pilgrim's Lodging)

An amazing experience for body and soul. The place is astounding, both on the inside and the outside, with so many hidden corners and angles to explore. The atmosphere is so calm and peaceful, and it allows to really let go and relax in a deep way. The ceremonies are somewhere between a real practice and a show, aimed at one-night visitors. I really recommend staying longer, allowing for a deeper experience, and mainly because you get to taste the unbelievable good food that is being served. The best I’ve ever eaten. It is exquisitely made, designed and served, with so many delicate tastes, textures, colours and forms, that it’s like a culinary amusement park. I stayed for 3 nights, and every day was a completely new experience, completely different and surprising. Okunoin cemetery is in a very short walking distance, which allows to visit it very early in the morning, or late at night, which are the times in which it is the most magical. The young monks were eager to help with anything. And the onsen is very good, and completes the whole deep relaxing experience. A true haven away from the troubles of the world.

If you are a tourist and want the full experience of a Buddhist temple lodging that is accesible and gives you a sampler of the activities Koyasan is known for, I strongly suggest you to choose this place. The staff are multilingual and the service is standardised and well executed. They provide morning and evening meditations and the goma fire ritual, which is said to cleanse and purify the spirits. They also provide you with a heart sutra copying sheet, which I enjoyed doing in their coffee-fragrant common room. The highlight of the stay though, is the impeccable shojin-ryori (Buddhist temple food) that they serve for breakfast and dinner. Vegan food never tasted so holy. The chef took care that the meal possess interest, balance, depth. Shojin ryori doesn’t rely on fake meats, it instead incorporates natural ingredients such as mushroom, sesame tofu, vegetables. Even without garlic and onion, nothing was under-seasoned. I had a peak foodie experience in this place. ごちそうさまでした

Koyasan is a place filled with temples and this is probably just one of them that offers temple lodging. This is our first stop on our 7 day Kumano Kodo pilgrimage hike and is a very cool experience. They have staff that speak really good English who gave us a detailed introduction to the accommodation and services. All the rooms are tatami and have Japanese paper screens for doors and partitions and no locks - so be sure you don't inadvertently walk into someone else's room as they all look alike. Bathrooms are shared. You remove shoes on entering and there are slippers (have to say they are not the most comfortable however). Rooms on arrival are prepared with hot tea and two pieces of sweet bean paste filled pastries - very tasty. They set up the futons for sleeping while you are at dinner. Meals are all vegetarian with not very substantial portions. Also you sit on the tatami floor to eat which could be a bit of hardship if you are not too flexible and needing something with a back. In the morning you can join the prayer session at 7 am and the fire ceremony at 7:30 am - highly recommend, it's always a well attended event.

Above and beyond expectations. The monk who did the check in was very thorough and spoke perfect English. Others speak enough English for our needs. We opted for western style bed and it was very comfortable. The room floor and private bathroom are both heated - must be heavenly in winter. The shower is an experience in itself. The dinner is set up in a private room complete with poem and calligraphy on the wall. The best vegetarian meal we ever had. At the time of booking, I thought the price was a bit high but it’s worth every pennies.

Extremely hospitable, delicious food, and a very comfortable stay. Make sure to wake up early enough for the morning prayer service, it's well worth it! The meditation guidance session was fantastic as well. Stunning to visit in November, with the beautiful red foliage around town.

Nice Temple and clean Spacious rooms. Basic Onsen without views. In our personal Opinion though it was way too expensive (~400 Euros per 1 night for our booking time, probably cheaper at most other times though) and not quite worth the money and the trip time. The food is interesting but may not appeal to everyone. Monks are very friendly but not around a lot apart from during the ceremonies, which are Great to experience but do feel Like Tourist Events with around 20-30 other visitors in the Same Room. Not a lot of personal contact or explanations, apart from a Handbook / Written Guide in the room. Given that there are a lot of other beautiful Temples and shrines around Japan, it is a tough call when planning and the Trip to Koyasan might not be worth it for everyone. Koyasan itself has rich history but feels quite Touristy. The cemetery (Night Tour is separate but amazing) is however Fascinating. Weather seems to often be quite cold and Rainy as well.

A delightful place to stay for a night or two. We were put in the new annex which has state of the art tech and the fastest Wi-Fi of our two week trip. We were expecting futons and a shared bathroom but nothing of the sort!||I’m not sure all the accommodation is like this so best to check.||Dinner and breakfast were included, the former an extensive array of vegetarian dishes served in a private room in the main building. The big downside is that you are expected to sit cross legged on the floor, an achievement beyond me. Perhaps we could have asked for a table and chairs but they weren’t offered. You could order alcohol which is charged as an extra.||Breakfast was similarly uncomfortable and a Japanese breakfast, no alternative.||Overall, a wonderful place to stay.||You can go to the morning services if you wish. The staff were very pleasant and helpful.

This temple holds historical significance, evident from its architectural design. While the original structure is preserved, additional rooms have been constructed in the rear. The spaciousness of the temple is complemented by delectable cuisine. Although not opulent, the temple offers cherished memories.