Traveling to Japan? Find Koya hotels

Sleeping in a temple run by monks, enjoying the walks in the serene environment of the sacred mount Koya, viewing unique UNESCO cultural heritage, this all was just so special! I loved being part of the life of a temple, even just for one night, the communal bath was a relaxing experience and we had a possibility to attend the morning ceremony with the monks, which was just incredible! The only downside was that when booking through Agoda, there was no option to add meals to the reservation and as we found out, it was no longer possible on the spot. It had to be made well in advance. It's quite key as most of the restaurants in Koyasan close at 5 pm and it's not so easy to find a place to dine. Besides, it's a part of the whole temple experience. Otherwise it was incredible and very fulfilling.

We could not have been happier with Jokiin. I think maybe there is no better location in Koya-san, right near the Kongobuji temple, and the bus top, too. Staff (monks) were kind and helpful. Food was delicious, if simple in substance. Presentation was elegant. Know that you will sleep on a thin futon, and the walls between rooms are literally paper-thin. Bathrooms are shared and down the hall. This is as it should be when staying in a temple. A serene, wonderful experience.

Going to Koya-san and staying at Ekoin will be an experience that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. If you're visiting Japan, I really recommend taking even just a day to visit this mountain retreat. I selected Ekoin for as, as we're foodies, and really interested in learning about the culture of Japan. The Inn provides exceptional vegan cuisine, beautiful rooms, on lovingly maintained temple grounds. While here we were able to also learn about the culture and religion of Shingon Buddhism. We attended the meditation session, fire ceremony, and the evening cemetery tour. The staff are all very helpful and accommodating. That being said, this is not a "hotel" stay. Your expectations and your behavior should be different. Please be mindful that you're being given the opportunity to participate in religious ceremonies and staying on holy ground. So be polite, quiet, and pay attention to rules in the guidebook they will give you in your room about taking photos and other norms.

We stayed only one night but it was lovely. The room was basic (tatami mats and a table, and futon beds they set up and pack away for you) but lovely. The dinner was magnificent - all vegetarian but very beautiful and beautifully presented. If you stay, make sure you eat there. They had shared shower facilities in traditional Japanese onsen style so be prepared for that experience and read up on the etiquette! Word of warning - make sure you get the package with the meals included - we had some issues where we booked the 'Japanese Room with Dinner and Breakfast' but it didn't actually have dinner and breakfast included (this was in the fine print). They honoured our booking with food anyway though after some discussion. Not sure if this was an issue with the way it was listed on Agoda. We were also invited to observe a traditional Buddhist ceremony at 6am the next morning. It was a great privilege to be able to do this which we were grateful for.

I very much enjoyed my stay here and the whole Koya-san experience. This was the most expense lodging on my month long trip. Please understand that you are paying for a rare opportunity to stay in a religious environment. If that is something you are interested in than I strongly recommend it. They have daily 7:00 am 30 minute opportunity to join a religious gathering in a special room with an alter that you can participate in.. I thought my room was very nice. I had a Japanese style room and found it very comfortable. It had a nice view of a garden and a mountain. The restroom was down the hall. This is not a luxury hotel and that is not what they are trying to do. All the workers are monks or religious novices. They will not give you the impression the hold a degree in Hospitality and Tourism (I teach at a college which offers this degree). Their focus is on spirituality. Stay here for a unique experience in this area. I am glad I did.

I decided to take a last minute trip to Koyasan over a weekend, Koyasan was completely booked out and Hashimoto was a close/major location. It was : - great value for money - staff were very helpful and friendly (I know no Japanese, they had great brochures on how to get around Koyasan) - clean - room size was typical of that for Japan/Tokyo (compact) - it was a taxi ride from the station (approx 650 yen each way),

Excellent and attentive staff. English was a real challenge for them but that made it all the More authentic. Perfectly located for the cemetery. This is NOT a resort as so many of the INs appear to be. It is the real deal. The food was first rate and served in your own private eating area on tatami mats. There are many INs that are newer and better equipped but this was very cozy and authentic. My only issue was their use of fuel burning space heaters which gave off noxious fumes. These are common in Japan; however I did not feel confident sleeping with it on for fear of CO poisoning and it was hard to ask pertinent safety questions with the Language barrier. I would certainly recommend it though.

To be honest, Koya San is probably best left for a day trip. The site has a lot of history and parts are almost errie so it's worth visiting but staying in a so called temple over night wasn't really that different to staying in a ryokan but just more expensive and with an average vegetarian breakfast. I think only if you a specific interest in Japanese Buddhism would it be worth staying overnight.

Lovely shukubo centrally located near bus stop 8 in Kōyasan. Very convenient, with a nice bath, large rooms and delicious shojin ryori cuisine. The senior priest speaks excellent English, so this is a nice shukubo for visitors who do not understand Japanese also, because it will be easier to understand the history and rituals of this important place. Highly recommended.