Kansai? Temple stay ?

I took a taxi cab from Oji Station. It took about 15 minutes to the parking place below Gyokuzo-in. It was a clean and modern facility and the shukubo staff welcomed me politely. The morning religious service starts from 3:00 in the Yokuyu-do followed by the Goma prayer from a little past five in the morning.

Shigisan Chogosonshi-ji temple is an old temple, which is said to have been founded by Prince Shotoku (574 to 622). Senju-in is the oldest among all the temples here. The shukubo is famous for its shojin vegetarian cuisine called Teppatsu, which was very delicious.

This is a place of Shugendo opened by practitioners in a mountain. The shukubo serves as a youth hostel in which you share rooms with other people.The head priest and his wife are very frank. When I stayed there, We talked about a lot of things and took pictures together to commemorate the stay.

This temple offers full-fledged zen ascetic training experiences. Training of various periods from one night training on Saturday and Sunday to the short training program for three nights four days, as well as the long term training programs of 1 month or longer, are available at request.

This is a shukubo of Choraku-ji temple and located in walking distance from the temple. You can participate in shakyo (copying sutra by hand, a fee is charged), religious services in the morning and hiking. The room had all the necessary facilities. It was a new room equipped with a lavatory.

This is a shukubo of Myoshin-ji temple. The building is neat and clean and offers complete facilities. We enjoyed a very comfortable stay there. We ate in the restaurant inside the building as we had made reservation. The next morning, a monk showed us around the grounds of Myoshinji Temple.

A modern building standing next to Nishi-Hongan-ji temple.The room was large and roomy. It was equipped with a TV set, air conditioning, a safe, a refrigerator and a unit bathroom. Yukata robes, bath towels, toothbrushes, razors, etc., are also available. You can freely participate in the morning services.

This is a shukubo of a small temple located on a mountain in Ohara. The highly reputed shojin vegetarian cuisine won't betray your expectations. I was able to experience shakyo (copying sutra by hand) after diner, followed by zazen the next morning.

Chisyaku-in is the head mountain of the Chisan school of the Shingon sect. Morning service, about 50 to as many as 150 priests chanted the sutra loudly to the sound of Kei (a board like a percussion instrument), which produces a very refreshing atmosphere.

Nanzen-ji temple is the head temple of the Nanzen-ji school, Rinzai sect. It is one of the largest classes of temples in Kyoto, which ranks it above the five temples in Kyoto. It seems that a young priest is managing the lodging alone. He treated me with adequate hospitality and I was able to stay comfortably.