Ren'gejo-in Temple (Pilgrim's Lodging)

This rating is NOT about the religious service or the beauty of the place. However, I wanted to share my experience. The room was very clean, the bedding was comfortable, and our room included a bathroom, so there was plenty of comfort. That said, please be aware that although the rooms are beautiful, your night’s sleep may depend on the neighbouring room. The man next to us was snoring very loudly. The service (meditation and prayer) was excellent, although it is unfortunate that no written material is provided to help us understand what the monk is saying. At times, it was very difficult to understand his English. Food was very good and you can get other serving of rice so it was enough. And last but not least: HYGIENE IN THE PUBLIC BATH. A large group of tourists checked in late, and they did not seem to be aware of bathing etiquette at all. Some came without towels, some did not wash properly before entering the water, and one was even scrubbing inside the bath. They were also quite disrespectful of the whole process, bathing and loudly expressing their discomfort about being naked or saying that it was “weird” and “disgusting.” I was appalled that the staff did not educate them. If providing the necessary information is not possible, perhaps large groups should not be accepted.

We thoroughly enjoyed our two day temple stay at Sanadabo Rengejoin. We chose suites with personal bathrooms, as the shared bath experience is just not our thing, even though it is a custom of this country. That being said, our accommodations were outstanding. Expensive, yes, but worth every penny. |The staff is very helpful & so kind. Depending on when you arrive, check in could take some time. Take a deep breath & soak in this deeply spiritual place! |We enjoyed the meditation experience at 5pm & the chanting at 6am. These are moments to savor. How often do you ever take part in something so special & unique? The monks were soft spoken & very kind. Part of the experience is to do what they do, which included the services we attended. The breakfast & dinner experience is to expose you to what they actually eat themselves. Noodles, soups, veggies. Some we enjoyed, others not so much, however, it is a monastery stay & it’s meant to appreciate their lifestyle. I’m sorry to see that a few comments were a bit harsh. We felt quite differently. We chose private baths & maybe that’s the difference but like I said earlier, we never cared for the shared bathroom experience. If you’re looking for something different, spiritual, appreciation for how the monks live their days, this place is for you. Koyasan is a very sacred area in Japan & we relished the wonder of it all. Cute little town with lots of little shops is a walkable distance. You can have lunch & grab some snacks, too. Some good walking trails. |I’d like to say thank you to Sanadabu Rengejoin for making this stop a highlight of our Japan trip. We regrouped here & really appreciated the nature & spititualism within your beautiful monastery. Thank you!

Very beautiful with the red leaves. The ceremony and meditation were very fun to experience, sadly some of the other visitors ruined the meditation session by being late and making noise constantly; please don't do this! The bath was very nice too. I would have slept fine if it wasn't for the guest in the room next to me coughing up boogers until 2 am, which made it hard for me to sleep. But these negatives aren't the fault of the lodge it's the other visitors. I overall had a good experience

My friend and I had a wonderful stay here. One-of-a-kind experience to stay in a gorgeous temple, meditate with monks, and eat traditional shojin-ryori (vegetarian Buddhist cuisine). It is quite expensive, but I would say it's worth it for a blissful night.

It was an alright experience in terms of all that they offered tbh — given the price. The check in is at 3pm and the check out is at 9am. The bath area isn’t so good. The food is OK, the rooms are OK. I couldn’t really follow the monk’s English but the meditation part (the quiet part) was alright. 3 stars because it wasn’t horrible or anything, but not much more because I wouldn’t call it great. PS: it’s also really expensive to get to Koyasan. So pick something that’s worth your while.

One of the most experience that I tried, sleeping in a old monastery in this beautiful, spiritual and peaceful place immersed in the nature. My room was a shukubo, a traditional room japanese inside the temple, very confortable and clean. You had the great possibility to assist to the ritual of meditation around 5pm and also to the prayer at 6am and it's a spiritual moment unforgettable full of emotion and positive energy. Inclusive to the reservation there are tipically really nice dinner and breakfast. Near to the place there is the bus station and you can arrive with facility by walk to the big cemetary Okunoin, the biggest of all Japan.

We were absolutely blown away by our room. We expected a somewhat ascetic aesthetic, but our room was absolutely gorgeous. Admittedly, the room rate was quite expensive. The room had tatami mats and futons (as expected), which was extremely comfortable. The room was decorated exquisitely and had everything one could want in a room. We had two lovely sitting areas - one for tea or coffee and another overlooking a peaceful garden. Our toilet and shower area was ultra modern. Everything was immaculate and beautiful. Staff was very friendly and spoke excellent English. The food was fabulous and beautifully presented. We thoroughly enjoyed the 6 am chanting sessions and the 5 pm meditation with the monks. In addition, the onsite "onsen" was great. For that reason, it is not necessary to get a room with shower facilities. (We didn't realize that, so our room had more than we needed). Great location for walking everywhere in Koyasan. Quiet, peaceful, lovely stay.

Buddhist temple with different types of room, we had a very comfortable one with private bathroom and woods view, it is pricy but totally worth it. Super clean and decoration looks like a movie with great Japanese style. Morning chanting and afternoon meditation every day. Vegetarian breakfast and dinner are served, lots of small local dishes very filling. It’s an experience to make at least once in a lifetime (at least two nights I would say to enjoy the temple and town life).