Kongo Sammai-in — Attraction in Koya

When I walked into the room I'd been assigned (room 314) my mouth literally dropped open. The room in the guest annex was absolutely beautiful and huge, with tatami floor, a table and cushions for having tea, an altar area for prayers and intentions, a private porch overlooking a zen garden with a beautiful fountain, a futon for sleeping, and a private bathroom and private tub/shower. This room has the only private tub/shower, so I was super grateful to be assigned to it. ||||The food was delicious and I liked the fact that it was served in a communal room, Buddhist style, which provided an opportunity to chat with other guests. Try the gomadofu (looks like tofu but is actually sesame paste with a sharp, cream cheese flavor that combines well with wasabi)! Yes, the food is simple and vegetarian, it is monk cuisine. ||||There are vending machines for getting bottles of water/juice. Doors lock only from the inside, so take your valuables (passport, smartphone, etc.) with you while exploring Koyasan. I felt totally safe, my shoes were left at the entrance for days with no problems. ||||The monks were courteous and welcoming despite the language barrier, while also going about their regular daily activities. This is a working temple, not a five-star hotel catering to guests' every whim - and as a guest, I appreciated the opportunity to be there and observe Buddhist practices, atmosphere and food while relaxing in such a...

When I walked into the room I'd been assigned (room 314) my mouth literally dropped open. The room in the guest annex was absolutely beautiful and huge, with tatami floor, a table and cushions for having tea, an altar area for prayers and intentions, a private porch overlooking a zen garden with a beautiful fountain, a futon for sleeping, and a private bathroom and private tub/shower. This room has the only private tub/shower, so I was super grateful to be assigned to it. ||||The food was delicious and I liked the fact that it was served in a communal room, Buddhist style, which provided an opportunity to chat with other guests. Try the gomadofu (looks like tofu but is actually sesame paste with a sharp, cream cheese flavor that combines well with wasabi)! Yes, the food is simple and vegetarian, it is monk cuisine. ||||There are vending machines for getting bottles of water/juice. Doors lock only from the inside, so take your valuables (passport, smartphone, etc.) with you while exploring Koyasan. I felt totally safe, my shoes were left at the entrance for days with no problems. ||||The monks were courteous and welcoming despite the language barrier, while also going about their regular daily activities. This is a working temple, not a five-star hotel catering to guests' every whim - and as a guest, I appreciated the opportunity to be there and observe Buddhist practices, atmosphere and food while relaxing in such a...

Disappointed! There was no water supply during my stay. Meaning no water from the tab; toilet cannot be used due to no flushing water either. No shower and bath. Cannot even wash face or hands.

Room was spacious facing the inner garden. Not recommend to visit during winter because almost everything closed including temples in town due to low season. It snowed quite heavy. Ended up staying inside the room. It was pointless to travel 2.5 hours from Osaka (one way) to stay in the room.

Temple dinner and breakfast looked amazing. However, most of the dishes were cold.

The morning puja lasted for 30 min. While the other 4 monks were still chanting, another monk suddenly led visitors to leave the praying hall. It felt unwelcome.

Upon arrival, I fell on the icy roads and was unable to get medication from pharmacies. All pharmacies were closed due to low season and snowy weather. I asked the young monks if they might have something to help easing the pain. They promised to check but no one bothered to reply. I was quite sad and surprised by the lack of care and hospitality.

Overall, it was not worth to pay USD 130 for an overnight experience. Checkin from 14.00. Checkout next day before 09.00. You merely slept and there was no interaction with monks or any opportunity to learn about the Japanese Buddhism.

Do not recommend to stay here. Didn’t feel like a real temple. Perhaps Koyasan is good...