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Koyasan Ekōin (Ekōin Temple Lodging)
Ekōin Temple is a temple on Mount Kōya with a 1,200-year history, dating back to Kōbō Daishi Kūkai, who built a five-story pagoda and enshrined Bishamonten and Fudō Myōō. In 1308, Ryōchō Ajari (ajari: a master in esoteric Buddhism) was transferred from Tōji Temple in Kyoto to this temple and rebuilt Ekōin Temple.
Around 1558, the temple had a familial relationship with Shimazu Yoshihiro, the 17th head of the Satsuma Clan. It is also the family temple of Akechi Mitsuhide. From 1704, under the order of the 8th Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, the name of the temple was changed to Ekōin, with the teachings of the Buddha continuing to this day, passed down from generation to generation.
Lodge Information
- Style: Shukubō (temple lodging)
- Address: 497 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun, Wakayama-ken, Japan
- Telephone: 736-56-2514
- Check-in: from 13:00
- Check-out: before 10:00
Location
Ekōin Temple is located just a short walk from the Okunoin Ichinohashi Bridge entrance, from the residence of Kōbō Daishi Kūkai, and is a temple lodging where you can enjoy history and nature.
Types of Rooms
Ekōin Temple offers a variety of rooms centered on relaxed, traditional Japanese-style accommodations, with some options that also include beds.
Special Tenjiku Japanese/Western-Style Room
A spacious 16-jō (26.45 m²) room with beds in the bedroom. The bathroom and toilet are equipped with the latest facilities and a modern design, as well as a bathtub made of Shigaraki ware. From the veranda, you can sit back and enjoy the garden view.
Deluxe Japanese-Style Room
Room size: 10-jō (16.53 m²). From the veranda, you can enjoy the garden view. The bathroom is equipped with the latest facilities in a calm wood tone, and the bathroom and toilet feature the warmth of a wood design. The bathroom walls are covered in Japanese cypress, and the large bathtub helps you relax after a long day.
General Japanese-Style Room
A relaxing Japanese-style room. There are no en suite bathrooms or toilets, but you can use the large bathing area and the shared bathroom and washroom spaces within the lodging.
Compact Japanese-Style Room
Compact yet relaxing rooms, also ideal for a single guest.
Shared Facilities
- Large bathing area: Baths are filled with warm water drawn from the springs of Mount Kōya and are gentle on the skin. Stretch out and unwind after a day of travel.
- Large bathing area (washrooms and changing rooms): Body wash, shampoo, and conditioner are provided. Hair dryers are also available in the changing rooms.
- Shared bathrooms: Equipped with the latest-model Washlet toilets. The women’s restroom also includes a diaper-changing area and a spacious hand-washing counter.
- Large Hall: A vast space characteristic of the temple, used for various occasions including annual events, and as a dining space for visiting groups.
- Ajikan Dōjō: A dōjō for practicing the esoteric meditation method “ajikan.” Microphones are available when using the dōjō as a training venue.
- Lobby: A shared space free for guests to use, with materials on Mount Kōya sightseeing.
- Relaxation space: Sofas are placed throughout the facility—relax and enjoy the garden views.
Dining
At Ekōin Temple, breakfast and dinner are served in your room; groups of four or more are served in a separate room.
Meals are shōjin ryōri (Buddhist cuisine), passed down through generations alongside the long history of Mount Kōya. Shōjin ryōri is based on methods still practiced today:
- Gohō: raw, boiled, baked, fried, and steamed
- Gomi: soy sauce, vinegar, salt, sugar, and spicy hot
- Goshoku: red, blue, black, yellow, and white
The lodging also offers “furimai ryōri,” banquet dishes served after monks’ ceremonies. No meat, fish, or other fish or raw-meat odors are used, so it can be enjoyed by vegetarians and vegans.
Social Media
- Website: https://www.ekoin.jp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ekoin.jp/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koyasan_ekoin_temple/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/koyasan_ekoin
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzymGLciMErLSzLXR-vCUeA
