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Ichijoin

606 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun 648-0211 Wakayama Prefecture
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#4 of 41 temple lodgings in Koya-cho
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606 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun 648-0211 Wakayama Prefecture
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Ichijoin
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Karam S wrote a review Apr 2023
3 contributions2 helpful votes
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!!
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Date of stay: March 2023
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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KI-NRT wrote a review Jun 2022
Ashiya, Japan1758 contributions434 helpful votes
+1
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 as bespoke experience as possible for guests staying there. "Okushoin" is the "special guest room" of Ichijoin, and Mrs. KI-NRT was delighted by my room choice. It is its own detached (stand-alone) villa-style structure at the far end of the property, which also meant that we did not hear the footsteps of people walking along the hallways, or of guests staying above us. The room was also the only one with a wonderful view of the garden and Koi pond from the living room. Okushoin has two main rooms - the main, Japanese-style tatami living room that featured a coffee table and a TV, and an adjacent room that served as the dining room and - afterwards - the bedroom, where they will roll out the comfortable futon beds at the conclusion of the evening meal.) Both rooms were traditionally adorned and authentic while not compromising on comfort or space. Speaking of comfort, Okushoin had air conditioning and heating available, and even had floor heating for guests that get cold feet. and lest you feel it won't be necessary, be reminded that shoes need to come off before entering the property, and Koyasan is cold for about 8 months out of the year due to its location being in a very mountainous part of the Kii Peninsula. Other Okushoin niceties include the existence of dual sinks, shower and a Hinoki Cyress wood bathtub, as well as TWO toilets! We've stayed at some top suite rooms at luxury ryokans which had two separate toilets, but we never thought we'd encounter this amenity in a Shukubo. Ichijoin also offers Yukata robes for its guests, and all toiletry items are accounted for - hair dryer, individually wrapped moisturizer, shaving foam and razer, toothbrush - they had every necessity covered, and then some. The Shojin Ryori Buddhist vegan (or vegetarian, depending on the Shukubo) cuisine was an absolute highlight. Shojin Ryori is a special Japanese cuisine that has been refined and perfected by Monks through the years, and it definitely showed. The variety of vegetables, the uniqueness of the preparation and flavorings, the beauty of the presentation... it was definitely something that other societies can learn from. Japan is renowned for its variety of wild mountain vegetables, roots, fern and moss, and Shojin Ryori really takes advantage of the bountiful existence of such ingredients. Every one of the dozen (at least) dishes were painstakingly explained by our Monk-server. From start to finish, not once did I yearn for a meat or fish dish. If I were to become a vegetarian/vegan, Shojin Ryori would definitely serve as a great soft landing for me. One thing worth mentioning, in case you're wondering (like we were)... yes, they serve Sake (for an additional charge), so it's not a "dry" place, much to our delight. A few final things to note: first, the WiFi was spotty during our time at Ichijoin. I'm not sure if it was due to the distance between our room and the router (wherever it was), or whether the connection throughout the property is generally intermittent. Secondly, there are some aspects that are rigid - dinner and breakfast are served at 17:30 and 07:15 (immediately after the morning prayers), respectively, with no option to change the times. Third, the gender-segregated communal baths are not of the Onsen (natural hot springs) variety, despite what you may read elsewhere. The heated water is natural and comes from a nearby well, but it definitely is not Onsen (two separate Ichijoin Monks confirmed this to us.) Finally, there is an 8PM curfew. If you don't return to Ichijoin by then, they supposedly won't open the gates to let you back in. We didn't test this rule, but if you have the intention of going out at night (the only thing I can think of that's worthwhile in Koyasan in the evening is visiting Okunoin, where parts of the cemetary are illuminated, giving it a very eerie and mystical feel), then you should search for a Shukubo that does not have a curfew. Koyasan is a part of Japanese history and culture that is not to be missed. While a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto is possible, staying overnight at a Shukubo really is really worth the time investment if you're really looking to immerse yourself in the experience and is definitely recommended. While Ichijoin is the only Koyasan Shukubo we've stayed at, and Okushoin is not the typical room there, going by our experience it's definitely the way to go if you have the budget and the desire to have a luxurious stay at an honest-to-goodness Japanese Buddhist temple.
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Date of stay: June 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Kelly K wrote a review Mar 2020
Flagstaff, Arizona14 contributions
Truly a profound and very healing experience to reside in such a deep and settled vibration - Wow! Easy to reach with only speaking English - it took us about 2 1/2 hours total from Kyoto, 2 easy train switches, a cable car to go up to Mt. Koya, then it's a short bus ride into the town of Koyasan which drops you off a stone's throw from Ichijoin. Genuinely lovely, welcoming staff. The food is an event! Incredible, delicious, very plentiful - simply a divine experience! We stayed two nights in late February and never saw more than a couple other guests. My husband and I had the onsens (separated by gender) entirely to ourselves in the evening, hours are 4-9pm. I just have to figure out how I'm going to get back there year after year - can't stop thinking about it! It was by far the most favorite part of our 15 day trip to Japan!
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Date of stay: February 2020
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ingrid g wrote a review Nov 2019
Edmonton, Canada74 contributions12 helpful votes
+1
This place is wonderful. The staff, the stunning garden and koi pond the location!! The most of all the food!!! The vegetarian food was amazing. The most delicious, most beautifully presented thoughtful food I have had in a long time. What an experience ( I loved that we got to eat it in our room by ourselves). We also joking the morning chatting which was worth waking up early for. Some staff speak English. Ps Koya San is a MUST if in Japan
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Rezzon wrote a review Jun 2019
10 contributions13 helpful votes
Genuine and rewarding experience to spend couple of days in this temple. Very welcoming and helpful and inspiring atmosphere. Location is excellent and the rooms are traditional, simple but large and extremely clean.
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Date of stay: May 2019
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Trip type: Travelled with family
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L Russell wrote a review May 2019
5 contributions
We absolutely loved our time here. The temple is pretty easy to find, right off the bus line, and the people in the town of Mt Koya and at the Koyasan station are the most helpful. From the first moment we got there, we were taken care of by the staff, shown around the temple, and given an outline of the general timeline of meals/activities. While many of the monks do not speak English, those who were tasked with guiding us around were wonderful communicators. The temple is as beautiful in person as it is in photos - clearly well kept and a great representation of traditional Japanese architecture. We had an interesting and tasty vegetarian meal in our room, and then walked down to the cemetery to explore at night. There is a 9pm curfew that they are definitely strict about, but given the early timing of the morning buddhist prayers this was totally fine. We spent some time at the onsen (which closes a bit later than the curfew) and left blissfully relaxed. We truly enjoyed every minute at this temple and were so sad to leave!
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Date of stay: May 2019
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Lidia O wrote a review Apr 2019
Turin, Italy24 contributions14 helpful votes
The experience of one night (from 5 pm till 8 am the following day) in this ryokan managed by Buddhist monks was absolutely outstanding. Rooms are spacious and provided with all comforts. Bathrooms are for sharing but incredibly clean and quiet. The onsen located on the ground floor are warm, clean, provided with all bathroom facilities and very relaxing before going to bed. I appreciated a lot the tidiness of the gardens, the warm and educated hospitality of monks as well as the great food. The cuisine is totally vegan, presented in a well manner and very tasty. I really appreciated these flavours. The experience of the morning prayer and seeing a lot of believers involved in this religious activity was worthwhile. It was a peaceful and regenerating experience embedded in the noisy and crowded rest of the vacation. Koya-san is full of misthicism (cemetery, temple) and worth the trip.
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Date of stay: April 2019
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
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mihoho007 wrote a review Aug 2018
Haguenau, France35 contributions10 helpful votes
+1
The stay at this monastery was nice. We were lucky to have a corner room with big windows to beautiful forest. As some others say, the service was a bit less that what I had expected for the price, but it sure was a valuable experience. On the next day, we tried a session of a type of meditation called Asoku-kan, and it was very interesting. What is remarkable about this place is the Buddhist vegetarian meals served in your own room. It was one of the best Shojin ryori I have eaten in my life. Definitely worth a try!
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Date of stay: August 2018
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: If you are reserving a standard room, the rooms at the end of the hall way have a nice view of...
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Fausto A wrote a review Apr 2018
Brazil12 contributions6 helpful votes
Stayed for one night at Ichijo-in. Servicing is amazing, staff is totally prepared to foreign customers, they speak a little English but are extremely kind and open to requests. Stay includes dinner, breakfast, yukata to use (bath robes) and in-house onsen. Curfew at 9pm is a trade off, especially if you want to do the Okinoin night tour, which is nearly impossible to complete it. Morning Cerimony was incredible, serene and heart-warming. If you want to visit Koyasan, Ichijo-in is definitely a place to stay.
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Date of stay: April 2018Trip type: Travelled with friends
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EELSM wrote a review Jan 2018
Asia187 contributions122 helpful votes
Looked and compared many temple stays in the Mt Koya area and decided on Ichijoin for its religious presentation, availability, good building and ground maintenance. Most importantly and honestly, to keep up our bad old habit of having to have our own private bathroom for midnight calls. Upon arrival at noon, we left our luggage at the reception and went for a tour at the Okunoin. Back and checked in at 3pm, we were taken to our spacious room Hinoki which was on the second floor with a attached modern bathroom, yeah... Service by the staff monks was polite, simple, matte of the fact which was totally acceptable to us. They are Japanese monks and they are in their home turf, we chose to come to them and it is perfectly fine with us if their English is limited. We certainly do not expect any lodging staff to speak anything but English in New York city. We thought the ground and first floor rooms were kept in tip top condition until we entered the main hall, it was spectacular. Words could not describe how a temple of over 1000 years can be preserved in such a respectful and elegant manner. Our two meals there were quite delicious and fulfilling, all vegetarian and thoughtfully prepared and presented. We took a walk after dinner and the place looked even more surreal at night. It was as if we were taken back many centuries ago. Morning service at 7am was another wonderful experience not to be missed. We entered the main hall and was suggested to pay respect to every buddha statues around the large room. We were taken to our seats with a nice strong heater next to us. Each one of us were asked to come forward to pay respect and say a prayer at heart. It was heartwarming and somehow magical to be there in a cold winter morning listening to the high monk reciting a buddhist sutra, which we could not understand a single word. Somehow, we felt serene and peaceful inside as nothing has changed for over thousands of years. The Ichoijoin is highly recommendable as a religious retreat and we would like to return one day soon. This is a unique place unlike any other lodging accommodation in a world we are all too accustomed to.
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Date of stay: December 2017
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Trip type: Travelled with family
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PRICE RANGE
RM 769 - RM 3,141 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
JapanKinkiWakayama PrefectureIto-gunKoya-choKoyasan Onsen
NUMBER OF ROOMS
23
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ICHIJOIN: UPDATED 2023 Hotel Reviews, Price Comparison and 274 Photos (Koya-cho, Japan) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Ichijoin
Which popular attractions are close to Ichijoin?
Nearby attractions include Mt. Koya (0.3 km), Kongobu-ji Temple (0.2 km), and Koyasan Daishi Kyokai (0.4 km).
What are some restaurants close to Ichijoin?
Conveniently located restaurants include Bon On Shya, Kasakuni, and Chudo Dining Sanbo .
Are there any historical sites close to Ichijoin?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Koyasan Danjo Garan (0.6 km), Koyasan Daimon (1.2 km), and Koyasan Choishimichi (1.2 km).