Koyasan– Temple stay –

Fudoin Temple was founded in 906. It is located in the town of Koyasan. The room I stayed in was a 12 tatami room on the first floor of the new building. The buddhist vegetarian cuisine was very delicious. I attended the morning service and it was a very good experience.

Sainanin is the shukubo closest to the Daimon Gate of Koyasan. The meal is traditional Japanese multi-course meal that makes use of seasonal ingredients. Most of the rooms have a view of the garden. Yukata robes, towels, and toothbrushes are provided. Those who wish can perform copying of sutras.

Saizenin Temple is located near the Great Pagoda of Koyasan. There is a room where Konosuke Matsushita, who founded Panasonic and grew it into a global company, stayed. You can stay in this room if you wish. There is also a garden designed by the famous gardener, Mirei Shigemori.

It was the precinct of Jyochi-in that became the temporary residence for Priest Kobo when he climbed Mount Koya for the first time. The building was nearly new in general, the main hall hasn`t changed. While many Buddha statues were watching, I participated in the morning service in a solemn atmosphere.

It is a wooden temple with a calm atmosphere surrounded by a vast garden. The front garden of eight-leaf laurel was created by Osamu Mori, a famous gardener in the Modern Age. They served shojin vegetarian cuisine, which tasted very good. You can participate in the service, which starts at 7:00 in the morning.

The temple was named after the fact that the bones of Tentokuin, the wife of Toshiie Maeda, a famous feudal warrior, were enshrined here. It has a Japanese garden designed by Enshu Kobori. You are able to appreciate this beautiful garden from the guest rooms made of Japanese cypress built in Shoin style.

They serve shojin vegetarian cuisine. They have a morning service. This shukubo has the sad love-story of Takiguchi Nyudo and Yokobue. The “Uguisu-no-Ido” (Nightingale’s well) and “Uguisu-no-Ume” (Nightingale’s plum) related to this sad story still remain in the garden.

You can experience training. The training includes sutra chanting, shakyo (copying sutra by hand), shabutsu (copying images of Buddha by hand), zazen (meditation) and cleaning (of the garden, the corridors and the rooms). They serve shojin vegetarian cuisine.

It was founded by Priest Kobo and was once a residence of the former Emperor Shirakawa. They serve shojin vegetarian cuisine. They conduct religious services early in the morning. Also, there are many cultural assets, including the sliding door picture painted by Ikeno Taiga.

Syojoshinin is located by the entrance of the approach to the back of the temple. It has a very nice appearance. In the morning service, they chant a sutra with unique tones, which was very interesting. After the service, they let us see a hidden Buddha image. They say that it is a privilege for the shukubo guests only.