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.…