Shukubō

What to expect

First day

While many temples have recently modified their facilities to provide more hotel-like comfort, guests must remember that the property is first and foremost a temple. Corridors are unheated (and therefore quite chilly in winter). Stairs can be very steep. Toilets and bathing areas are often shared. With a few rare exceptions, sleeping is on traditional tatami mats.

Meals are typically served in the guest rooms. Bedding (futon, etc.) is normally laid out by the staff. Alcohol is sometimes available for an extra fee.

Please be aware that many temples have a curfew ("mongen" 門限).

Second day

Morning services ("o-tsutome" お勤め) are conducted before breakfast — normally around 7:00 am — and last between 30 minutes to a hour. Attendance is not mandatory, but it would be a shame to miss this highlight of a temple stay!

Relax (but be respectful)

Some might find the idea of staying in Buddhist temple a bit stressful. But as long as one is respectful, there's no need to panic. Most shukubō are good at letting guests know the important dos and don'ts.

A little history...

In the past, pilgrims to a holy place like Mt. Kōya would stay at a temple affiliated with their home temple or that of their ruling daimyō. They would arrive at one of the gates and be assigned a place to stay accordingly.

The practice at Mt. Kōya seems to have existed as early at the 12th century when a holy man known as Myōjaku Shōnin established five shukubō in the area near the present-day Nyonidō.

Temples Providing Shukubō at Mt. Kōya

The following list gives 52 temples at Mt. Kōya that offer lodging for guests. Most have websites, and the links will open in a separate window. Please note that I have tried to link to the English pages where available (many temples only provide information in Japanese).

Useful Information for Overnight Guests

Mt. Kōya is a small place where almost all of the activity revolves around temple life. There is not a whole lot to do after the sun sets. (Speaking of which, if the weather is nice, you can enjoy a nice view of the sunset from the Daimon.)

That being said, here are some of the few options:

Take the Night Tour of the Oku-no-in Cemetery

One of the most popular activities at Mt. Kōya is the guided tour of the Oku-no-in Cemetery. Conducted at night by a priest, the one-hour walking tour is a fun and informative way to experience Japan's largest cemetery.

Tours begin in the courtyard of Eko-in 恵光院 and take visitors to the Mausoleum of Kōbō-daishi.

There are separate tours in both English and Japanese for ¥2,000 per person.

In busy seasons, the tours are often sold out, so try to book in advance.

Visit Site

Stop in at Taira