Koyasan Syukubo Ekoin

Incredible. The vegetarian dishes were the best we ever had. Our room, the semi-suite was luxurious and welcoming. The staff was friendly and spoke very good English. We do not regret going to Koya and staying at the Ekoin. It was definitely a highlight in our trip. From the ceremonies to the food to the cemetery tour at night with an amazing guide.

An exceptional and unforgettable experience. We learned meditation techniques and took part in the goma ritual, which was truly incredible. The shukubo is very clean and well maintained. There’s no AC or private restroom since the original structure is preserved, but that adds to the authenticity of the traditional Japanese stay. Highly recommended!

It’s a great experience

I was welcomed with a warm greeting by an english speaking monk. The overall atmosphere was simple with a warm welcome home feeling. I highly recommend staying longer than one day.

Esperienza meravigliosa all’Ekoin! Tutto è stato impeccabile: l’ambiente suggestivo, le camere tradizionali accoglienti e soprattutto il personale, estremamente gentile e attento. Le attività proposte, come la meditazione e la cerimonia del fuoco, sono state belle e molto interessanti.

Everything was just great! It made us feel very comfortable. It was helpful that all the staff were capable of communicating with us in English. Since people are coming to experience a true Japanese style of living, be sure to attend the morning prayer service, and the fire ritual. They cost nothing to attend and give a wonderful insight into the culture of Japanese people and Buddhism in particular.

供養も兼ねて訪れましたが、スタッフも親切丁寧で、安心して宿泊できました。

A hidden gem in the world. A game changer for my family. Must do the night cemetery walk! Recommend to do the trip after some of the chaos of the bigger cities as it was such a beautiful shift!

Heerlijk, even wat rust in dit chaotische Japan. De “bedden” slapen verschrikkelijk slecht. Vooral als je wat zwaarder bent, maar wat een top ervaring. Fenomenaal!

Super services, tasty food, Goma fire excellent experience

Lugar espectacular. La comida es de lo mejor que he probado. Es vegetariana, pero es espectacular

Excellent.

Staying in Eko-in is an experience not to be missed. Our room was amazing, in the annex building, which felt brand new. The night cemetery tour has been the highlight of our Japan trip and the morning prayer and fire ritual were also great. Food was amazing and plentiful although Japanese breakfast wasn't a hit for us. We bought some pastries from Family Mart to have as backup, which came in handy. Free parking is provided too. The monks were all very welcoming and spoke good English.

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Good experience

It was truly an amazing experience. At first please note that this is not a traditional hotel, but a active temple which hosts travellers. My room was traditional room with a tatami floor and shared bathroom. Room and bathroom were both clean and nice. The atmosphere in the temple was calm and quiet throughout my whole stay. Food that was served was amazing. It was also interesting to follow the morning service and the fire ritual.

It is a pity that this holy place has become too commercial to stay spiritual. Meat and alcohol are served in the Buddhist monastery. Prayers are for money. Sad

Syukubo Eko-in is highly recommended. The food here is excellent and staff is very friendly and helpful. The whole atmosphere is serene

Last minute idea to stay at a Temple while in Osaka, paid high price for a room for 4 people over 2000$ for 1 night vegetarian meals included. Overall it was a different, unique experience, no regrets.

Our stay at the Ekoin Temple was a highlight of our trip to Japan and we will be back! Thank you to all the wonderful people of Koyasan and our shukubo for their hospitality, kindness, and openness to welcoming visitors to this most special place. Our accommodations, the food, and temple grounds were truly wonderful. But most of all, I would like to express gratitude to Nori who we were fortunate enough to be paired with for the many offerings the as part of the stay. Thank you Nori for sharing your stories and educating us about Koyasan’s sacred history.

とても良かったです！

Experiencia única y de aprendizaje

Koyasan Eko-in Escape busy Tokyo or Osaka for this calming, welcoming and nurturing town of Koyasan. You’ll be warmly greeted regardless of what shops you enter or which temple you stay in. However, I must say that the team at Eko-in really goes above and beyond to make for an incredible experience from start to finish. They guide you step by step upon check-in and let you know what to expect along the way. Things not to be missed: -4:30 pm guided meditation -In-room massage therapy by monks -7pm cemetery walk (if it doesn’t rain, ours got cancelled due to weather) -7am morning prayer -7:30am fire ritual Cannot recommend highly enough!! 🏯🍜🎋📿

Merveilleux séjour au beau temple Ekoin, accueil attentionné. Chambre supérieure spacieuse à la fois traditionnelle et avec des équipements modernes. Très propre. Repas très copieux, joliment présentés et plein de saveurs à découvrir. Bain dans le temple. Possibilité de participer aux cérémonies des moines ( prière, méditation et goma ). Proche du cimetière Okunoin.

Wonderful for what it is. This is not a hotel stay. Food was amazing, as were the experiences that came with the stay. The only downside was there are no private washing facilities, if that is a deal-breaker for you.

Preis-Leistung sind nicht in Ordnung. Unterkunft ist ein Erlebnis, allerdings auch sehr touristisch. Es war ohne Klimaanlage in dem Zimmern kaum aushaltbar (im Sommer).

Konum açısından mükemmel bir yer. Kaldığımız oda çok temiz ve geniş ve ferahtı. Seyahatimiz boyunca kaldığımız en favori mekanımız oldu. Her şey için teşekkürler.

Ekoin was such a beautiful and peaceful place to stay. Everything was available in English and the staff were amazing and helpful. Would absolutely recommend the night tour as well as all the other activities included with your stay!

Amazing experience- worth the money

Très belle expérience que ce séjour dans un établissement bouddhiste tenu par de jeunes moines. La cérémonie du feu (Goma) était à la hauteur de nos attentes. Seul bémol : le prix est sans doute un peu élevé.

This was an amazing and 180 degree shift from Osaka. We really thought all the extra touches were so special. The monks were all gracious and thoughtful and wonderful hosts.

Great experience. Meditation, exceptional vegetarian food, morning prayer and goma fire ritual. Make sure to book the okunoin cemetery night tour, led by monks from the temple in English or Japanese. Koya-san is a magical place.

The temple and the surrounding area are absolutely beautiful! Trying to check in though was a bit of a pain. It took me about 5 tries to finally get the person meeting me at the entrance to understand that I had a reservation and wasn’t just there to take a picture. He kept telling me to come back in the morning. I had to take the paper from his hand and point my name out for everything to get across. The rest of the stay went extremely well however.

Our stay at Ekoin was the highlight of our two weeks in Japan. The room was beautiful and warm even though it snowed while we were there, the food was abundant and absolutely delicious on top of being a cultural experience, and participating in the morning service and fire ceremony was very special. We would absolutely recommend booking the Okunoin night tour as well, the monk who guided it was amazing and it was so different from going in the daytime.

The English speaking staff were so helpful and if they couldn’t speak in English they still tried hard to help. Very walkable and convenient. Fire ceremony was wonderful. Very welcoming place. I stayed 3 nights and it was wonderful.

很特別的一次旅程

Great place

I wish we’d spent more time here and in Koyasan! The temple stay was so comfortable and experiential, with beautiful views everywhere we turned. It is also right on the main street, within easy walking distance to the main attractions such as the Okunoin Cemetery (in fact, the Cemetary night walk starts here). This is a special highlight among the many great things we’ve done in Japan!

Fabulous staff/monks Very attentive. The meditation, morning prayers, fire cermony and meals were a highlight. Easy walking around sight seeing areas.

Really lovely temple accommodation with friendly monks and an excellent vegetarian dinner. Just be warned in winter the complex is mostly not heated (heaters are provided in rooms, but they’re kerosene so you have to be careful) and toilets/sinks are shared. Bathing is onsen style which I liked a lot. Views from some of the rooms are lovely.

Excellent food and service! The ceremony and fire ritual in the morning were extremely interesting. Definitely recommend!

A great stay at this temple!

Wonderful experience and hospitality by the staff. The room was beautiful, mix of traditional and modern amenities. We booked a room that included private bathroom and it was probably one of the best and memorable stays we had in Japan. The food was fantastic and the staff were kind, patient and accommodating. They appeared to be used to foreigners and travelers, and able to navigate and meet everyone’s need.

Koyasan is a wonderful place to stay a night. Not cheap but absolutely worth to spend the money.

What an incredible place to stay. A very attentive staff and the dinner and breakfast (Shojin ryori) in the room was exceptional. If you ever get a chance to travel to Koyasan, make sure you stay at this temple. You will not be disappointed.

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Our stay with the monks was lovely. They were helpful and got us a last minute massage from a talented local massage therapist. We did the night cemetery tour, meditation and fire ritual. All were very inspiring and enjoyable.

Really great experience, top notch accommodations, a highlight of our visit to Japan!

Great experience at Ekoin temple. The stay was very clean, food was amazing, learnings were great, and monks were very helpful. Thank you very much.

! absolutely loved my stay here. The food and service was amazing, it's right next to the cemetery, and getting to see the morning ritual was an awesome experience.

I can’t really add much beyond what others have already said. The futon was strangely the most comfortable bed I have had in Japanese across five trips. It got cold overnight and I had to consult the room binder to figure out how to work the heater.

I really enjoyed my stay here. Place was really clean and beautiful. It was also located really near the bus stop. Food was delicious. As for communication, the monks spoke excellent english.

Great place to enjoy the serenity of koyasan. The vegetarian dinner was an eye opener.

The garden view room is very beautiful! It’s wonderful to gaze upon the garden and drink tea at sunrise and sunset. The private bathroom is really amazing; it’s wood panelled with heating, a rain shower, and a bathtub with a seat built into it. It’s a lovely experience staying in the temple as well. If you have respiratory issues you should prepare antihistamines because of the incense in the temple (this applies to all the other temples in the area as well; the rooms are fine and do not have incense smoke). You can also experience Ajikan meditation, morning service and a fire ritual at Ekoin (these are of course all religious activities so skip it if you’re uncomfortable with that). I highly recommend the Okunoin night tour too! It’s very easy to go on it if you stay at Ekoin. The monks were very helpful with regard to our other tourist endeavours as well and some speak English very well :) It was a lovely stay!

Please ban photos and filming during the prayers and fire ceremony. It spoils it.

Excellent opportunity to experience traditional customs of Japan

The monks were very friendly and helpful and everything was well coordinated so you knew what to expect. We really enjoyed our stay and wish to have been able to stay longer.

The temple in is very clean, the room in good condition, however it is quite expensive for what it is and feels much more commercial and impersonal compared to another smaller temple stay we were in last year. The service felt quite impersonal and rushed

Amazing experience in a spectacular location.

Loved the unique experience of staying at a temple. The monks were all so nice and it was an honour to be able to be invited to attend their ceremonies. Would love to return! 😊

Amazing experience, the monks are very friendly and helpful. Best food. Wonderful temple stay experience.

It is a unique experience to stay in the monastery, to see Buddhist’s rituals, to eat the same meals. The night tour of the cemetery is one of a kind. We absolutely loved the day we spent at Ecoin.

The temple stay is a really great experience. The are very welcoming and efficient! Be sure to attend afternoon meditation, morning ceremony, and fire ceremony. To further educate yourself on the area and temple practices be aure to book some tours

The morning prayer ceremony and fire ritual are amazing to watch.

Great location and staff was amazing. Highly recommend a Koyasan Temple stay here. Don't miss the fire ceremony.

Awesome experience, must try!

Stay was very peaceful. Enjoyed the ambience of the facility and the surrounding area.

Lived up to its promises and we really enjoyed the related experiences such as onsen, fire ceremony and the night tour of the graveyard.

Great temple inn, close to Okonuin yet easy walk to town centre. Friendly monks with great food. The morning prayers and fire ritual is a plus, and do take the night tour of Okonuin. We were in the new block which was very spacious and comfortable albeit walls are thin.

Amazing Experience! Wonderful monks. Very welcoming. Highly recommend it to anyone! Loved the morning prayer and fire ceremony and meditation class. Really worth doing Nighttime cemetery walk.

An unique experience staying at a monastery in Koyosan which was extremely well run and welcoming. We had a non en suite room which was ok. The traditional food and bedding was really nice and the morning prayer and fire ceremony were very authentic experience. Would highly recommend it.

A bit challenging to get to Koyasan itself, but this temple/lodge was easy to find. Rooms were great and the optional meditation/ceremonies were elevating. Vegetarian dinner was delicious, even for meat lovers. We considered staying an extra night but they were sold out.

Loved everything!

They accommodated my disabled father’s need very well. They went out of their way to provide us with a room that was easier to access and gave us a private room for our meals - all which were beyond the regular service. Excellent, beautifully presented meals.

Great place - really enjoyed the rooms and food, very traditional

This is a unique experience as you are residing in a Buddhist Temple - eating their foods; praying and meditating with them; etc. Unless you are a vegeterian or gourmet (and love eating pickled plums and turnips), I suggest that you eat a good meal before starting your stay.

What an experience. We have been in Japan for two weeks, and this was a highlight for our family of four including an 11 and 13 year old. We got there at 3:00 and then participated in the meditation session. That evening we had dinner and went on the cemetery tour. Do not miss this tour. It was beyond meaningful, to be guided through the cemetery at night to the mausoleum of this most influential monk and to see the lanterns all lit and hear the monks chants. He shared so much. The next morning we participated in the most beautiful prayer ceremony, I am so thankful, they share this with the public. Afterwards, we went to the fire ceremony and I was in a trance following along. This is a special place and will stay with me!

Eko-in is a beautiful place with very nice rooms, great food and an incredible series of experiences available.

great location, facilities were very good and the meals were amazing!!!!!

The room was very traditional and had a beautiful view of a small garden. We stayed on a cold night but were perfectly warm beneath the thick blankets provided. The monks were very hospitable and welcoming.

1 night stay was an enjoyable and genuine temple experience. The night time cemetarty walk was also worthwhile in explaining may aspects of Buddhist culture.

Koyasan was amazing, especially in the early winter under a dusting of snow. Ekoin was a great, convenient place to stay, with large traditional rooms overlooking lovely gardens. The complex is quite large and there are beautiful rooms where you can do yoga, meditate and eat breakfast and dinner. The vegetarian food was lovely for adults (but not such a hit with my teenage boys...). The night cemetery tour was a major highlight and our guide was funny and fluent in English. There was also a free meditation class and morning prayers. The place is traditional but run practically as a business.

Really loved our stay, staff were super friendly and helpful.

Magical stay very unique experience one not to miss if you are in the area.

Facilities was surprisingly good, albeit without an attached bathroom, but had a modern toilet at the end of our corridor. The onsen was good, and everything was provided as per the usual Japanese accommodation (toothbrushes, comb etc). The vegetarian meals were excellent! You can meditate (afternoon classes), go on the day or night Okunoin tour (recommended), and attend morning prayers and fire ceremony.

Nice food, friendly staff, good atmosphere. I disliked the short stay, because check in is atte 4 pm and check out atte 10 am next morning

We loved our night here, the monks were so helpful and friendly. They spoke English very well too. The room was lovely. It was clean and comfortable, with a beautiful view. The public baths were also very clean and enjoyable.

Ekoin is a really comfortable stay considering it is a monastery. We took the room with an attached modern toilet which made it very convenient for trips to the loo in this freezing December weather. Though we didnt use the shared bathroom, it looks very clean as well, maybe just a little old fashioned. A memorable experience on this sacred and peaceful mountain. Do not miss the cemetery night walk and morning fire ritual. A word of advise to future travellers, when the local monk guide has requested no pictures of certain parts during the cemetery walk, please respect their culture. It's shocking how some tourists think they can do whatever they want, whenever they want. Lastly, pack a backpack or small cabin luggage as your room might be located upstairs (at least 3 stories here) and the stairs are steep and slippery with socks/the mandatory house slippers.

We stayed one night and were treated to a great experience. The temple lodging is located for an easy walk to both the cemetery and town. We participated in meditation at 4:30 then dinner around 6. Dinner was traditional vegetarian and very nice. There is an optional night cemetery tour that leaves from the hotel (not included) but it was cancelled due to rain. The bedding was clean and comfortable. The temple includes a traditional bath house which is large, clean and very enjoyable. In the morning there was morning prayer, a fire ritual and breakfast (traditional). They were also happy to hold bags for the rest of the day after checkout. The only downside was a large, slightly rude group staying at the same time. I would recommend this for anyone wanting a traditional experience that is also easy and accessible for tourists.

The Ekoin temple offers a wonderful experience with amazing surroundings. The room was beautiful and very clean, the futon super comfortable and the staff really nice and helpful. We stayed for 2 nights and saw the morning prayers and the fire ceremony. We also took the night tour in the cementery. It was all really worth it. Also Koyasan is one of the must seen from Japan, we had a wonderful time and we would repeat the experience.

The monks were very polite and helpful. Great experience. Highly recommend the evening graveyard tour.

My family had a wonderful and meaningful experience at Ekoin. We really enjoyed learning and participating in the ceremonies and night tour. It was a highlight of our trip.

Loved this experience. Wish we stayed two nights. Everything was perfect.

The room was much like a Ryokan: tatami mats and sleeping/seating on the floor. But that's not really why you're here. It's the experiences in koyasan which make it a great place to visit. The cemetery for with one of the ekoin monks is a must (you can also join this type of you don't stay at ekoin). As is the morning ceremony and fire ritual. The food was much better than expected, it is vegan however for obvious reasons.

We spent 25 days touring Japan and Koyasan Ekoin was one of the highlights. It's a quiet, peaceful place where one can learn more about about esoteric Buddhism while staying in a comfortable, traditional Japanese room. Our room overlooked the garden and the hotel has many public areas one can relax in. We attended the evening meditation session, the morning service, the fire ceremony and the night tour of the cemetery. While I recommend them all, the cemetery tour is not to be missed. Our guide was wonderful. He not only explained some of what we saw in the cemetery, but explained some of what esoteric Buddhism is. Everything the monks do is to part of the path to enlightenment, from right standing, sitting walking, speaking... etc. It's fascinating. The cemetery is enormous and at the end of the path is the Kobo Daishi temple. Supposedly, Kobo Daishi is inside meditating, which he has been doing for more than 1000 years. The monks still bring breakfast and lunch to him every day. The dinner at Ekoin was a lovely vegan meal with many kinds of pickled vegetables and many types of tofu. the hotel had a few lapses in that the meal was not explained to us, nor were we presented with the option to have beer or sake, which others did have at their meal. But overall. this is wonderful place and from what I heard one of the most authentic places you can stay in Koyasan.

Great experiences, staff friendly and helpful. Meditation, Buddhist Service in morning and fire ritual wonderful experience.

Temple stay at Eko-in was a great experience. We participated in the mediation session and night walk through the cemetery with a monk who spoke English. Definitely do the tour, it was the best part of our stay. There was also a tea making class you could participate in if you were interested also. Only on Fridays and Saturdays though.

Enjoyed the many new and enriching experiences Ekoin offered. The cemetary in Koyasan is not to be missed

Stayed here on trip advisor recommendations but were disappointed by staff treatment and reception after travelling a long way. Maybe it was the monk assigned to us who conveyed this is a temple that reluctantly welcomes guests. Also no cemetery tour for lack of an English guide however happily the cemetery is a 2 minute walk

Delicious food. Welcoming ambiance . A wonderful interactive experience with the Buddist monks . Well worth the journey to get there!