Koyasan Special Head Temple Shojoshin-in

What an amazing experience to stay in an ancient monastery. We attended the fire ceremony, which was interesting. The chanting at the end was fun. The room was comfortable and clean. The onsen was refreshing. The food was absolutely incredible. It’s right next to the cemetery, perfect for a spooky night time walk. It’s a bit expensive to stay here for budget-minded travellers but it’s worth splashing out once in a while.

An experience every traveler to Japan must try. The place is one of the oldest temples in Koya just on the door of the cemetery. The monks are very friendly and welcoming and will do a tour of the temples for you while explaining it’s history. The vegetarian dinner and breakfast were very delicious. In the morning you will be asked to participate to a Buddhist prayer with the temple’s monks. Overall a very good experience that is highly recommended.

The temple is located at the end of the main road, right next to the Okonuin cemetery, which I recommend seeing in the evening when they turn on all the lights. The room was spacious and neat, on the third floor, with a balcony overlooking Carp Lake. The room had everything you need: air conditioning, a sink, two/three comfortable futons, and a table with the necessities for making traditional tea. The bathroom is shared but clean; there are several on each floor. There are also two typical Japanese bathrooms, where you can shower, and hot water tubs, where you can lay and relax. Unfortunately, they are only open from 4 to 9 p.m., so it is not possible to take a shower in the morning. In the morning you can wake up early to follow the prayer. In addition, the monks, at the end of it, will be kind and accompany you around the temple showing the history of their religion. They speak English quite well. I highly recommend the Goma ceremony (fire ceremony) at 1 p.m. A unique experience. I tried the typical breakfast but it was not for me. On the other hand, it is the typical monks' breakfast, without meat or fish, and it is also an interesting experience.

Really peaceful, clean, and welcoming. My partner and I came here based on reviews I’d seen online, and we weren’t disappointed. We were welcomed by a staff member, who checked us in and explained the schedule and various etiquette. Was totally impressed by the vegetarian dinner. There was so much food - we could barely finish! The monks who served us were extremely friendly and kind. They made it a delight to stay. The temple itself is beautiful and very well maintained. We chose this spot because it’s so close to Okonuin Cemetery - just a few steps away for an evening or early morning walk. We regrettably missed the morning prayer because we showed up right at 630am. I would recommend getting downstairs for prayer at around 625am. Highly recommended.

This place was incredible. I want to visit again. The monks are such wonderous people to behold. The vegetarian food was amazing and I enjoyed every bite. It may not seem like a lot but when you are finished I felt satiated and nourished. I highly recommend staying here a few nights. When we stayed we joined in on the meditation with the monks as well as the fire ceremony. I also enjoyed the public bath which switched in the morning so that you got to enjoy both baths. The area around here is so incredibly resistant with spirituality and nature. I adore it. I loved staying here - please just come here. It's an incredible place.

This old temple was our accommodation for 4 days 3 nights! Food served are fully vegan. We wished there were more activities to do in the temple itself. Public baths are only for 2pax and unfortunately opens only from 4PM-9PM. Thus, no morning showers allowed. However, it’s really quiet and if you want to experience a real monk lifestyle, this would be a great place! Okunoin is just next door and everywhere is walkable in Koyasan. Rooms are very big and we got the one overlooking the mountain and pond!

A beautiful, traditional experience. THIS IS NOT A HOTEL, a lot of reviews don’t appreciate that this is a working monastery, you can’t turn up late for meals or meditation and expect them to cater to you. That said, the monks were incredibly welcoming, the food was all delicious, the morning meditation was beautiful, and I slept like a baby warm in the futon. The only downsides is that being a traditional Japanese room, the walls were literally paper and my neighbours weren’t the most quiet. Also, don’t underestimate how cold it is in Koyasan in general! 20 degrees in Osaka is easily 13 or less in Koyasan so make sure to bring something warm!! You’ll want it during mealtimes especially. The rooms had a heater and tea/a sweet to warm you up too!

Shojoshin-in has a nice temple stay. I haven’t stayed anywhere else, but I was very satisfied. Neither my partner nor I could identify half the ingredients in our meals, but the food was good nonetheless. The temple is conveniently located; it’s not too far to walk to Kongobuji, Okunoin cemetery, or the four temples to do the Shichifukujin-meguri. The staff were also very friendly, and the bath was excellent. My only complaint is that the morning prayers didn’t have any English explanation. I recommend bringing some warmer clothes. It was 3°C in late March.

We stayed here one night. The monks speak enough English to get by. The temple is lovely, the food is delicious, and the location - right next to Okunoin - is amazing. Ask for a garden view when you check in. Peayers are early in the morning but worth seeing! We booked online through Japan Guest Houses and everything worked out fine. Honestly I suspect most of the temples here are very nice and this one is no exception! Mt. Koya was the highlight of our trip to Japan and I would encourage anyone who is interested in old Japanese culture or nature to go. Okunoin is unreal.

If you want an absolutely esquisite Japanese experience then this accommodation is for you. The temple is very clean, well maintained, situated closest to the Okunoin cemetary, serves super delicious vegetarian Japanese meal and has an onsen. Though we were not sure if it was a natutal hotspring. Nevertheless it was a perfect relaxation experience especially after a long journey and days of walking in the city. We were very fortunate that we had the top floor room (33) with the garden and pond view. In our room we also have the tea and table set with the yukata for the full experience. I know I already mentioned how good their meal was especially the dinner. It was japanese portioning but there were a whole lot. It left me and my husband very full and surprised considering it was vegetarian. Dont expect breakfast to be as huge but it was delicious too. They do conduct a buddhist morning prayer here at 0630 where guests are. It was very interesting with a lot of chanting. It was lengthy but not overly. The head monk who spoke english allowed us to take pictures and go in the temple only after the prayer. Truly I cant even emphasize how enjoyable this temple is but so as premises. Since it is at the edge of the main attraction (cemetery) we were able to do a day and night walks easily. As for the location, it is easy. The bus stop (10) to and from Koyasan station is also just steps away. Though we were here only overnight, our stay and experience was defintely a memorable one. You must come!

My family and I stayed two nights at Shojoshin-in. Our room was large and comfortable, with a balcony overlooking the beautiful courtyard. Our room was on the third floor - there was a small room with a sink in the room, with a shared toilet down the hall. The wonderful Japanese-style bathroom on the first floor had a tiled and drained bathing area and a large hinoki soaking tub. Meals were served by the monks, and were vegetarian Shojin-ryori cuisine, beautifully presented and delicious. Shojoshin-in is a beautiful and comfortable temple literally next door to the 1,200 year old Okunoin Cemetery. Everything about our stay was wonderful. Koyasan was well worth the effort it took to get there. I would love to visit again.