{"id":5387,"date":"2024-03-11T08:30:25","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T07:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/warmcheaptrips.com\/?p=5387"},"modified":"2024-03-18T09:52:54","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T08:52:54","slug":"japan-temple-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warmcheaptrips.com\/en\/japan-temple-stay\/","title":{"rendered":"Temple stay in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shukubo<\/em>, Temple Lodging<\/strong>. Overnight in a temple has been a common practice in Japan since ancient times, when temples scattered in the Japanese mountains would open their doors to pilgrims traveling to major temples and shrines, seeking blessings, protection, and good fortune.<\/p>\n

Today, Shukubo welcomes travelers who visit these places, not necessarily embarking on a pilgrimage, and staying in a Buddhist temple has become a unique experience to have during a trip to Japan<\/strong>. Although there are many Shukubo spread across the peninsula, there are not many easily accessible by public transport, especially temples open to welcoming foreign tourists. Among the most famous places to stay in a Buddhist temple is Mount Koya, south of Osaka, where I’ve been twice. The first was in 2014, during my second trip to Japan, when Mount Koya was still a little-known destination for foreign tourists, while the second was 10 years later, in February, a low season month where a heavy snowfall welcomed us, making the visit even more magical.<\/p>\n

Koyasan is not the only place in Japan where you can stay overnight in a Buddhist temple, but it is certainly the most “prepared” for international guests<\/strong>. Here, indeed, there are temples with monks who speak English and more modern rooms also with a private bathroom in the room, something usually not present in simpler Shukubo which instead only has shared bathrooms.<\/p>\n

\"Temple

What is the experience of staying in a Buddhist temple like?<\/h2>\n

First of all, it must be remembered that this is indeed a temple, not a ryokan or a hotel. The primary purpose of the facility is not hospitality or to make customers feel at home<\/strong>, but it\u2019s you being guests in their house! No special requests or demands, but maximum respect for the rules and times established by the temple,<\/strong> which are not negotiable or debatable.<\/p>\n

When you arrive at the temple, you take off your shoes<\/strong> place them on the designated shelf at the entrance, and put on the slippers provided to move around the temple corridors. The slippers should ONLY be used in the corridors and on the wooden floor, but must be removed and left outside when you enter a room with tatami or shared bathrooms (there are often other slippers to change for the toilet).<\/p>\n

Check-in<\/strong> is generally between 3:00 and 4:00 PM. You can arrive earlier and leave your luggage and if the room is ready, they will let you settle in, but if you are late they might not only not give you dinner, but also not let you access the temple!<\/p>\n

Dinner<\/strong> is served very early, between 5 and 6 PM depending on the season and when it gets dark, and in general, it would be better to take bath before dinner. Usually, dinner is served in the dedicated hall, where screens are placed for the privacy of different guests in different rooms, and in many temples, it is served on small tables placed on the tatami and therefore you eat while sitting on the floor. In some temples, there are folding tables and chairs, but consider that this is not the standard. If you have knee problems or cannot sit on the floor, it is better to communicate this in advance.<\/p>\n

Both dinner and breakfast follow the dictates of Shojin Ryori<\/em>, traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine<\/strong>. Meals generally include various seasonal vegetables cooked in different ways, tofu, miso soup, and rice, all accompanied by green tea. The menu is fixed and does not allow for variations, just as drinks other than tea are not served. The base is 5: five types of cooking (raw, steamed, grilled, boiled, and fried), 5 tastes (sweet, bitter, spicy, sour, and salty), and 5 colors (yellow, red, white, green, and black).<\/p>\n

\"Shojin

For dinner, you can wear the yukata<\/strong>, a sort of robe that you will find in the room and is considered a kind of pajamas. However, this will be strictly prohibited at breakfast, as it takes place after the morning prayer that marks the beginning of the day, so it is rude to “continue wearing pajamas.”<\/p>\n

The rooms<\/strong> of the temples are simple, with tatami floors, sliding walls, a low table, and a small “internal terrace” with regular chairs and tables. You sleep in futons on the floor and with the classic Japanese pillow that contains some sort of grains that make it not suitable for everyone… I usually remove it from the pillowcase and wad up my clothes in the towel and insert this solution into the pillowcase. My neck thanks me. As the walls are indeed the classic sliding doors, the sound insulation is minimal, and as it is a temple, from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM, you are invited to be quiet.<\/p>\n

Generally, the bathroom<\/strong>, especially the bathtub, is shared. Divided by gender, it is a tub that you enter completely naked after thoroughly washing in the appropriate spaces, just like you do for the onsen<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Generally, you can access the common tub from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. In many temples at Mount Koya, each room has its own sink and toilet, but generally, shukubo provide shared toilets and sinks, outside the rooms. Again, these are temples and not facilities created with the purpose of welcoming tourists!<\/p>\n

Staying in a Buddhist temple also means participating in the morning prayer of the monks<\/strong>, which takes place early in the morning, generally around 6:30 AM. This prayer generally takes place in the main hall of the temple where there is the altar and the statues of the Buddha, but for example in Nagano, everyone goes to the main hall of Zenkoji. Being a sacred place and ceremony, it is strictly forbidden to take photos and videos<\/strong>. Forget about technology and the frenzy of the modern world for a moment and let yourself be carried away by the chant of the sutras sung by the monks. A hypnotic, calm but powerful song, capable of reaching straight inside you if you are ready to welcome it.<\/p>\n

Participating in this morning ceremony is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended so I strongly urge you to get up early. Many temples also offer other activities, such as copying sutras, guided tours of temple halls, fire ceremonies, for which a donation is requested. Breakfast is served around 7:15 AM, after morning prayer, always in the dining hall and in the same way.<\/p>\n

\"overnight

Staying in a Buddhist temple is definitely an incredible experience, but it requires some adaptation although it has recently become more “available to tourists”.<\/p>\n

\n

Discover other unique experiences!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Where to experience a Buddhist temple stay in Japan<\/h2>\n

Surely the most known destination where to experience staying in a temple in Japan is\u00a0Koyasan<\/strong>, in Wakayama prefecture, about a couple of hours from Osaka. But also in Nagano<\/strong>, there are several Shokubo all around the important Zenkoji Temple and in pilgrimage places like Shikoku, the Kumano Kodo, or the sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan<\/strong>, there are several Shokubo, although very basic and difficult to book without knowledge of Japanese.<\/p>\n

Staying in a temple always also includes dinner and breakfast Shojin Ryori and for this reason, the cost is definitely higher compared to staying in a hotel.<\/p>\n

Temple Stay, costs approximately around \u20ac100<\/strong><\/span> per person per night, but I must say that the price for sleeping in a temple at Koyasan in recent years has risen a bit, averaging from \u20ac150-200<\/strong><\/span> per person per night, roughly like traditional ryokan<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

How to book a temple stay at Koyasan<\/h3>\n

At Mount Koya, there are about fifty shukubo<\/strong>, but not all can be easily booked. Sometimes it is necessary to contact them by phone in Japanese or they are not registered on various portals but have their own website to which to send the request even in English. The complete list with any contacts, can be found on the Koyasan Temples Association website<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Koyasan: exploring Japan’s Spiritual Heart<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n