Ichijoin

We had always wanted to stay at a Shukubo (Temple Lodging) in Koyasan, but the idea of having to stay in very rustic, cold (or hot, depending on the season) rooms with little to no privacy was a big turnoff. We were also puzzled at the dizzying array of Shukubo to choose - there are 52 such properties in the area! We had two priorities: first, we were hoping to find a place that offered spacious accommodations, private toilet/shower/bath and as much privacy that can be offered in a Shukubo (and we were willing to pay for the privilege.) Secondly, we wanted a Shukubo that was renowned for incredible Shojin Ryori - a traditional vegan (although some are vegetarian) Buddhist devotional cuisine that has been perfected by Monks through the years... over 1400 years, to be a bit more precise. Through our own research and word of mouth, we settled on Ichijoin and its Special Room "Okushoin" (貴賓室 奥書院.) For us, it was a great choice. First, the Ichijoin itself: as with other Shukubo, it's an active, living Temple with actual practicing Monks calling the place home. There is a proper Hondo (main prayer hall) and a beautiful garden with a Koi pond. The "Otsutome" (morning ritual/prayers) by the Monks takes place in the Hondo building at 6:15 in the morning, and guests are allowed to witness (and, to some extent, participate in) the proceedings. They also have several other activities, including Shakyo (写経 - Sutra writing), "Shabutsu" (写仏 - a kind of Buddha sketching) and "Ajikan" (阿字觀), which is a type of Buddhist Yoga. All in all, a very unique cultural (and spiritual) experience, and is definitely worth staying at one of the 50+ Shukubo that populate the Koyasan area. What impressed us was the quality of service and level of thoughtfulness that Ichijoin displayed towards its guests. For example, service is conducted to a very high standard and reminiscent of staying in a higher end ryokan. They carried our luggage to/from our room, courteously answered all of our questions about Koyasan touring, Ichijoin's history and the various rituals that take place in the Shukubo. It's a bit more quiet and dignified, sure, but the Monks tending to the Shukubo really go out of their way to ensure their guests go away satisfied and immersed from the whole experience. Other nice touches include chairs for guests during the morning prayers. Yes - chairs in a tatami room. And yes, even Japanese (while many may not admit it) find sitting on a tatami floor for extended periods of time a very uncomfortable thing to do - especially the elderly. The chairs are well padded and gave us the chance to focus on the experience rather than adjusting our sitting position due to discomfort. Unlike many other Shukubo that we researched, at Ichijoin the meals are privately served in owe's own room by a designated Monk-butler. All of this really adds to the serenity of the experience - it's not really meant to be a loud and communal one, and Ichijoin does a really good job of delivering

食事は薄味で品数も多く大変楽しめました。ただ、上の部屋の音が筒抜けで、お手洗いに起きる・いびき・どたばたする足音と気になりました。また、布団が湿気ていたのも気になりました。その点を省けば、温泉ではありませんでしたが、アメニティーも充実してましたし、ほぼ満足です。

宿泊したのは2021年より前になりますが、女性一人で泊まっても安心で食事も美味しく、申し分ないお寺でした。ぜひ、たくさんの方に素晴らしさを実感していただきたいです。高野山で泊まるなら、一乗院がイチオシです。

我們在這裏入住的是套房，並且套房實在是太棒啦！它給我們這一個月來的日本假期畫上了完美的句號，我覺得這是結束我們旅行的最完美的方式！感謝JTB（新紀元國際旅行社）的安排！這裏的地理位置優越，距離城鎮的主要交通路口十分近，店員也熱情友好，讓人倍感親切！其中一個更加是1998年過來的堪培拉（澳大利亞）交流生，所以他的英語十分的好～

非常傳統的日式住宿。喜歡這裏的熱水澡和旅館式的生活。食物也是很日式，儘管吃晚餐和早餐都是素食，習以為常的是有很多豆腐（如果你不是素食主義者，你可能會對這菜單感到很陌生）。根據所得來説這價格有點貴-在箱根我們住過的一家旅館，價格更便宜而且待遇更好。

Beautiful temple with a lovely garden, extremely comfortable rooms, nice, helpful, communicative service, pleasant public baths (from 4 pm to 9 pm), and the meals were absolutely delicious (I myself being a definite anti-veg). Well worth the money, apart from any spiritual experience.

Stayed here on the tail-end of our honeymoon and had a great experience. The meals are completely vegan so you get to sample a really wide variety of different local vegetables. Many of the temples in the area offer a similar experience, but I think the staff here sets them apart - they were incredibly accommodating. Highly recommend!!

我們在這裏入住的是套房，並且套房實在是太棒啦！它給我們這一個月來的日本假期畫上了完美的句號，我覺得這是結束我們旅行的最完美的方式！感謝JTB(新紀元國際旅行社)的安排！這裏的地理位置優越，距離城鎮的主要交通路口十分近，店員也熱情友好，讓人倍感親切！其中一個更加是1998年過來的堪培拉(澳大利亞)交流生，所以他的英語十分的好～