We spent a day in Koyasan, and it was an excellent experience. We could feel that we are welcome and our hosts do their best. I’d definitely choose a temple stay for my next visit too. Thank you for your help.

I was quite surprised how wonderful my stay in Sanbo In was. The team of the temple took great care of us, they spoke great English and made sure I had everything at all times. They also explained about the temple, the food we were eating, and so forth. The temple itself was beautiful, had a great garden, and I was astonished by the great bath they had! The food was, of course, marvelous, and presented and explained beautifully. All in all this was a truly wonderful experience, and I am greatful for the team at SanBo In to have offered me such a wonderful stay.

Daien‑in promises an authentic shukubo stay at Koyasan, and visually it delivers: beautiful interiors, traditional architecture, and a serene setting near Okunoin cemetery. The vegetarian shojin ryori and morning chanting ceremony offer cultural insight, though both feel more like curiosities than highlights. However, at ¥20,000 per person, the experience quickly feels overpriced. Staff are distant and mostly non‑English speaking, with little effort to explain Buddhism, temple life, or the area. Tourists are clearly segregated from monks, interaction is minimal, and the strict 21:00 curfew reinforces the sense of being a hotel guest, not a participant. Koyasan itself is small and time‑consuming to reach, with Okunoin as the standout attraction (ideally with a paid guide). Overall, a beautiful but detached tourist trap—worth once for devoted Buddhists, but most travelers will find warmer, better value stays in Kyoto or Nara.

I absolutely loved my stay at Shojosin-in Temple. It was so special!! I wish I had stayed longer than 2 nights.

It was a very special experience. The service was good and the people were very friendly. There was a good mix of foreigners and locals when I stayed there. Would recommend a night at this temple.

Our family of four adults thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Daien-in Temple. The whole booking process through the Koyasan Shukubo Official Booking Site was easy and very professionally handled. The room was large and comfortable. The shared bath was a "different" experience and was specified at the time of booking, so no surprises. We sat of the floor to eat our meals. One member of our group had a bad back and found it a bit challenging, but was able to manage. The staff were very courteous and we were able to do the Okunoin Night Tour and return without any issues.

I stayed at Hozen-in. The monks and staff were very helpful, whenever I asked for help they did their best to provide for me. The room was comfy too, even though it was a cold season the heater function worked well to keep me warm at night. The dinner was exquisite. The location was very close to Okunoin, which allowed me to participate in the free night walk at 7pm easily. I also had time to visit Okunoin again in the morning. Besides Hozen-In, I want to sincerely thank Sainan-In. At first I asked for Sainan-In, and even though their rooms were full, they welcomed me so warmly in the daytime when I visited, and I even got to request for their prayer service too. Thank you very much. I will always remember both temples’ hospitality.

We enjoyed our temple stay very much! It is VERY expensive though. And we requested extra matresses (tatamis) as we are not used to sleeping so close to the floor and we were told this was not possible. We were suprised as we had asked in other places and these had always been given to make our stay more comfortable. We felt very welcome in the morning prayers! However, we do not speak Japanese so we could not understand anything that was said at the end by the principal monk. I am aware that it is not possible to please all the guests, but not understanding a single word is not great either. Maybe you could print a document for foreigners, because that would make people feel welcome and also most importantly included! Caligraphy, we understood was an activity to attend during our stay and when we asked in reception we were were sold a piece of paper and told to practice on our own. That is fine, but it needs to be made more explicit in the descriptions.