Hojo-in Temple — Local services in Koya

Staying at Hojo-in Temple was truly one of the most unique and meaningful experiences of my journey in Koyasan ✨. From the very first moment, I felt warmly welcomed by Kiyo-san and the monks, whose hospitality and kindness made the stay unforgettable 🙏. The temple itself is serene, peaceful, and full of history 🏯 — including its impressive front gate, once part of Matsuyama Castle and transported here centuries ago. Knowing this added even more depth to the atmosphere. My room was simple, traditional, and harmonious with the surroundings. Sleeping on a futon over tatami, walking barefoot inside, and overlooking the beautiful courtyard 🌿 created a sense of calm and grounding. The shared facilities were spotless and thoughtfully maintained. Meals were a highlight 🍵 — both dinner and breakfast were vegetarian, yet so rich in flavor and prepared with such care. The shojin ryori dinner was extraordinary — each dish beautifully balanced and deeply satisfying. The morning prayer with the Buddhist priest was a profound experience 🕯️ that set the tone for the day. Sitting in silence, listening, and observing the ritual created a moment of stillness and reflection I will always remember. I am deeply grateful for the warmth, guidance, and generosity of everyone at Hojo-in ❤️. This stay was more than just accommodation — it was an encounter with culture, spirituality, and true hospitality.

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Interesting Temple. Stayed here overnight. The food was good. Took basics of how to meditate. My room was a Spartan type accommodation but that is exactly what you go here for is to see how the monks live. You sleep on a futon which is on a tatami mat floor. You have to leave your shoes at the entrance of the temple. You then use slippers to enter and walk in the Temple. You have to leave the slippers at the door of your room. You have to have either bare feet or socks in your assigned room. There is a common bathroom and showers are communal along with a hot soaking pool. The men and women bathroom areas are totally separate. No pictures can be taken in the temple area where morning prayers take place. An interesting fact is that the front gate to the monastery is quite old as it was gifted to the monastery by the Hojo of Matsuyama castle. The monastery had very good relations with the Hojo. The gate was removed from the castle and was transported whole in one piece completely assembled from Matsuyama Castle to the monastery. This must have been a huge undertaking at that time as it is far away and the monastery lies over 900 meters above sea level. That gate is the one at the monastery to this day. The monastery is very...

My partner and I stayed the night for the temple experience. We highly recommend it, if only for the temple food, which was out of this world

The host, Kiyo san, warmly greeted us at the entrance and gave us a tour of the accommodation. Everything was very clean and the premises are easy to navigate.

Our room was on the second floor facing a slope of vegetation and trees. Despite it being August, we could get by with the windows open and the electric fan. The rooms come with an AC. The bed was comfortable and the room had quaint and simple furnishings.

The dinner (shojin ryori), was honestly one of the finest meals I’ve had in my 22 years living in Japan. Each dish was delicately prepared and tasty in a very simple way. Despite no meat or fish it was filling in satisfying. The chef is a master of cooking. Thank you! 🙏

The morning service with the Buddhist priest was wonderful and made a great start to the day. Breakfast was simple, but again, very fulfilling.

We will definitely be staying here again thanks to the kindness and warmth of the staff, the chef’s great cooking and the wonderful atmosphere...