Eko-in – a quintessential Mount Koya temple lodging with a calm and enchanting ambiance ideal for first-timers! Right next to the first bridge of the shrine road facing the Kobo Daishi Mausoleum, this temple is very easy to find and positioned to get the most out of Koyasan.

While first-time shukubo guests may worry about temple etiquette, the priests and staff here will tell you everything in easy-to-understand English, helping you get in the routine of the temple stay straight away!

After walking through the gate, the vast, open garden spreads out before you, inviting guests to wander and unwind.

The carefully arranged selection of trees and shrubs highlight the beauty of each season, healing tired travelers and making you never want to return to city life! The main hall is enshrined by various Buddhist statues, creating a dignified aura that will inspire awe!

The large temple grounds hold a whopping 35 rooms for shukubo, all with free Wi-Fi, televisions, and air-conditioning, forming a truly comfortable space to kick off your shoes and have a good sleep!

The cooking here draws attention to seasonal vegetables and their famous sesame tofu, creating a delicate and nutritional selection of local dishes, including salads, tempura, fruits, and more.

A general day at Eko-in looks like this: after checking in at 2pm, join a guided meditation experience using the Ajikan method (reservations necessary) from 4:30pm.

Dinner is at 5:30pm, which you can enjoy at your own pace. Get up bright and early the next day to watch Buddhist chanting at 6:30am and the flame-lit Goma prayer from 7:00am.

Breakfast begins at 7:30am and check-out is until 10:00am. A sutra writing classic is also available for those who want to try their hand at Buddhist calligraphy!

・Access
Take the Nankai train heading to Koyasan to the final stop of Gokurakubashi Station. Transfer to the cable car and get off at Koyasan Station. Take the Nankai Rinkan Bus Line and get off at the Karukayado-mae bus stop. The temple is a 2-minute walk from there.

・Special Assistance for International Travelers:
English assistance available

・Accommodation Cost:
Standard Rooms: Direct booking rates for standard rooms (with shared bathrooms) typically range from 17,000 yen to 19,000 yen per person per night, including vegetarian meals (Shojin Ryori), morning services, and meditation/fire ritual experiences.

Upgraded/Luxury Rooms: Rates for upgraded rooms with private baths, or luxury suites with semi-open-air baths, range from 31,000 yen up to 100,000 yen per person.

Opened by the founder of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, Shinran, Saizen-in is a temple rich in history and prestige.

Right next to the renowned Koyasan head temple of Kongobuji and the iconic Danjō-garan, fantastic views of local landmarks Konpon Daito, Kondo, and Miedo can be enjoyed from the temple grounds.

15 rooms of various sizes are available, all of which are affixed with individual names. Some rooms have private bathrooms and toilets, and all are tatami-style with gorgeous garden views.

Televisions, safes, and cabled internet connection are all provided in these temple lodgings. If you don’t have your own LAN cable, you can borrow one for free at reception. It's an incredible experience that doesn't feel like a shukubo temple stay at all!

Of course, you’ll be treated to authentic Buddhist vegetarian meals, which change depending upon the season. This includes their well-known sesame and Koya tofu, complemented by other seasonal vegetables creating a well-balanced, extremely healthy meal that will leave you satisfied.

Alcoholic beverages are also available, so you can share a drink or two with the other shukubo guests and have a night to remember!

The temple offers many unique events for guests, including various forms of meditation, sutra writing, prayer bead making, and tours of Koya by a Buddhist monk.

・Access
Take the Nankai train heading to Koyasan to the final stop of Gokurakubashi Station. Transfer to the cable car and get off at Koyasan Station. Take the Nankai Rinkan Bus Line and get off at Senju-in Mae. The temple is a 10-minute walk from there. You can also get off at Kongodo (3-minute walk) or Daitou-guchi (2-minute walk).

・Special Assistance for International Travelers:
English assistance available

・Accommodation Cost:
Standard Rooms: Packages start around 13,000 yen to 14,100 yen per person for a standard room.

Upgraded Rooms: Rooms featuring private bathrooms or premium garden views range from 25,000 yen to 29,000 yen per person.

Surrounded by Koya icons like the head temple Kongobuji, Roku-ji Kane, Danjō-garan, and the Daishikyokai, the temple Joki-in is right in the heart of Mt. Koya.

As you step through the temple gate, you’ll be greeted to a welcoming 4-meter-tall statue of Jizo, a Japanese Bodhisattva who offers protection to children. The temple itself is likewise packed with treasures, some of which are registered cultural assets of Japan!

Wandering the lush green garden, all the stress built up from city life will soon melt away! Don’t miss sitting down on the ‘Hotoke no mi te’, special stone seats resembling a pair of hands that will bring fortune to those who sit on them!

12 rooms of various sizes are available for shukubo, all fixed with air-conditioning, TVs, and Wi-Fi, making for pleasant temple stays!

Dinner and breakfast are carefully assembled using 5 cooking methods (raw, simmered, grilled, fried, steamed) of five flavors (sweet, salty, sour, spicy, bitter) based around five colors (white, black, red, yellow, green/blue). Truly a masterful work of art!

Guests or sightseers can also participate in morning Buddhist liturgies. Step into the ancient world of Japanese Buddhism and let your thoughts disappear into the hypnotizing chanting of the head priest.

・Access
Take the Nankai train heading to Koyasan to the final stop of Gokurakubashi Station. Transfer to the cable car and get off at Koyasan Station. Take the Nankai Rinkan Bus Line and get off at Kongobuji Mae. The temple is a 1-minute walk from there.

・Special Assistance for International Travelers:
English assistance available

・Accommodation Cost:
Standard Rates: Standard plans with meals start at 26,400 yen per person. Booking directly through their official site often yields an exclusive discount, such as 1,100 yen off per adult.

With an impressive 1,100 years of history under its belt, Sekisho-in boasts the kind of refined elegance and spiritual depth that only an ancient temple can provide.

With dozens of temple treasures, including statues of Buddhist bodhisattva Kannon and a magnificent tiger wood carving, you can really feel the lifeforce of ancient Japan flowing around you.

With a massive garden spanning over 6,612 square meters often lovingly called ‘The Pride of Mt. Koya,’ there’s endless sightseeing to do here! The beauty peaks in autumn, with the massive collection of Japanese maple foliage amplifying the scene to another level!

For shukubo, there are two types of rooms; ones with a toilet and bathroom and ones without. Both are traditional washitsu Japanese-style tatami rooms with televisions and free Wi-Fi.

Food is typical of a Buddhist monk meal, forgoing any meat, fish, garlic, and onion. With a wide variety of dishes, including tempura, fried food, sesame tofu, miso soup, and pickles, this assortment blends together to form an intricate piece of art almost too good to eat!

Those who make reservations at these temple lodgings can participate in a number of Buddhist experiences, including a sutra writing class. Buddhist chanting occurs every morning, so be sure to get up early to watch this holy ritual!

・Access
Take the Nankai train heading to Koyasan to the final stop of Gokurakubashi Station. After taking the cable car to Koyasan Station, board the Nankai Rinkan Bus and get off at Hitobashi-guchi. The temple is a 1-minute walk from there.

・Special Assistance for International Travelers:
English assistance available

・Accommodation Cost:
Traditional standard tatami rooms (without private bathrooms) generally start around the 12,000 yen to 15,000 yen per person mark, scaling up for rooms with en-suite facilities and during peak autumn foliage seasons.

Hongaku-in is a beautiful temple surrounded by lush, peaceful forest. With 5 Japanese gardens to explore along with dazzling fusuma painted sliding panels, you can forget the troubles of the world and truly let yourself go.

The fusuma in the main hall are said to have been painted during the Edo period by an artist lodging at the temple.

Visitors are free to take a look, and we recommend checking them out when they are illuminated by the vivid afternoon sun or framed by the long shadows cast at sunset.

The five Japanese gardens offer stunning scenery year-round and are perfect for your shukubo experience. Each room is furnished with a unique angle into the garden, allowing guests a silent stage to reflect and meditate.

Temple lodging rooms boast traditional Japanese tatami flooring. The newly renovated ones present a clean, refreshing mood with modern-day comforts like air-conditioning and television. There are also wheelchairs available along with an accessible toilet.

For food, you’ll be treated to an extravagant Buddhist feast free from animal products, as per Buddhist tradition. From tempura to nimono, a range of Japanese dishes using fresh seasonal ingredients are delicately prepared and packed with flavor!

・Access:
Take the Nankai train heading to Koyasan to the final stop of Gokurakubashi Station. Transfer to the cable car and disembark at Koyasan Station. Take the Nankai Rinkan Bus Line heading to Oku no In or Daimon and get off at Keisatsu-sho Mae. The temple is a 1-minute walk from there.

・Special Assistance for International Travelers:
None

・Accommodation Cost:
From 12,000 yen (1 night, 1 adult, breakfast/dinner included) (price does not include tax)

The World Heritage Site of Koyasan is the gateway to Japan's mystical and mysterious ancient Buddhist world. Some say the spirit of the original founder, the legendary Kukai, is still practicing in the streets and temples to this very day.

While having a sacred aura only found in the most historical of places, it welcomes visitors from across the world with a number of experiences like meditation, calligraphy, and trying traditional cuisine.

Rooms with free Wi-Fi and televisions ensure you don’t have to say goodbye to the 21st century completely, allowing you to stay in touch while getting away from it all.

While you’re in Japan, don’t miss the chance to spend the night in an authentic ancient Buddhist temple at Koyasan.

Beyond the temple lodgings we've already highlighted, Koyasan is home to many other wonderful options. We'll introduce you to highly-rated temple stays frequently booked by readers and top-reviewed properties on Booking.com.

If you can't find availability in Koyasan, consider a temple stay in Kyoto! Kyoto is another popular destination for temple lodgings in the Kansai area. We'll recommend temple stays frequently booked by LIVE JAPAN readers and highly-rated properties on Booking.com.