‘What it was like staying in a 900-year-old Japanese temple’

Immense peacefulness. That is the best way to describe how I felt while staying at Rengejo-In Temple on the Kii Peninsula of Southern Japan.
Located in Koyasan, in the Wakayama Prefecture, the traditional Shukubo lodging offers visitors the chance to experience ancient practices housed in a 900-year-old temple.
The area is considered the centre of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, which was first introduced to Japan in 805 by the Great Master Kukai, known as Kobo Daishi (but more on him later).
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There are 51 temple lodgings in Koyasan where visitors can immerse themselves in authentic Japanese culture and to some extent ‘live like’ a Buddhist monk.
Here’s what it was like.
While there was no traditional reception desk, we were greeted by temple staff at the entrance who still requested our ID/passports to check us in and show us to our rooms.
You are also directed to take off your shoes, a common practice in Japan, and wear slippers.
It’s important to note that you are not allowed to wheel luggage across the ancient temple floors. So if you’re only there for one night, a smaller bag is definitely the way to go. Lucky I had a relatively light suitcase so it wasn’t too much hassle to carry it to my room.
Watch the video above.
I am not someone who generally partakes in any serious mindfulness practice outside of the occasional yoga session. So sitting down in the Ajikan, the main service hall, for a meditation session led by the temple’s monks was a little daunting.
After being called to a service by a gong we were led into the small ‘hall’ and had the option to sit on cushions or small benches. I went for the cushion on the floor, it felt more authentic.
We were given a brief introduction in how to meditate offered first in Japanese and then in English. Legs should be crossed, back straight, which we were warned “could become painful”.
Incense was lit and we were told “see you in 40 minutes”. 
The session began with chanting, and then there was silence, bar the creaking chairs and the occasional grumbling stomach (sometimes my own).
I was impressed with myself that I was able to stayed still for 20 minutes, before I felt the need to check my watch. That first 20 minutes flew by and I felt as if I was waking up from a nap. The next 20 minutes were more of a struggle, I had to shift my body a few times, but we made it to the end and after a full day of exploring it was a nice peaceful moment to end the day.
Guests are served their meals in the large hall on site, with fusuma screens providing partitions between groups.
Dinner was a traditional buddhist meal known as Shojin Ryori. This typical temple cuisine is made without meat, fish or other animal products, so it can be enjoyed by vegans and vegetarians.
A typical shojin ryori meal is centreed around soybean-based foods like tofu along with seasonal vegetables and wild mountain plants, which are believed to bring balance and alignment to the body, mind, and spirit.
Monks use the “rule of five” when cooking, so that every meal offers five colours (green, yellow, red, black, and white) as well as five flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami), which are drawn out naturally from the ingredients rather than added via additional flavourings, as explained by Savors Japan.
After dinner we had time to explore the room options and eventually settle in for the night. The temple offers varying accommodation options for every budget.
There are rather luxurious suites that can sleep two to four people, complete with their own ensuite toilets and baths. You’ll also be treated to stunning garden views in most of these rooms with some, like the one I eventually stayed in, with outdoor access.
It is worth noting, some of the suites have actual beds, and some offer futons.
Alternatively, if you want to really embrace vibe then you can stay in a simple Shukubo Traditional Room. You’ll have a futon on the floor, and you’ll have access to shared toilets and public bathrooms (separated men and women).
There is also an option to reserve time in a private bathroom. The room is closed off by a fusuma sliding door, but I need to point out here that they don’t lock.
Full transparency: I was originally allocated a traditional room but as a solo female traveller the no lock situation was a little unsettling, so I did end up staying in one of the suites instead. It pays to do your research beforehand so you know exactly what you’re getting.
The temple did house a few surprises. All rooms had heating and cooling, and there was free wifi – plus a vending machine in the hall!
It was a good thing I did end up switching rooms, because it was important I got a good night’s sleep so I was ready to get up early for the morning religious service. That started at 6am.
Again in the main service hall, the ceremony went for just over an hour and was led by monks and the head priest of the temple.
Shingon Buddhism is a religion that was established by Kôbô Daishi (Kûkai) at the beginning of the Heian period (9th century), and its teachings are known as Shingon Esoteric Buddhism
The majority of the service was a chanting ceremony, followed by a type of sermon by the head priest. The focus was on loved ones who have passed away and ancestors. Be prepared for this to drag on just a little, as the sermon was done in Japanese first, and then English.
After the ceremony we enjoyed another traditional meal for breakfast before checking out.
Other than staying at a temple, there is so much to do around Koyasan, especially if you are interested in learning more about the beginnings of the area’s beliefs.
Okunoin Sando Walk
To do that, the Okunoin Sando Walk is a must-do. It’s a two kilometre walk to the temple that houses the mausoleum and resting place of the religion’s founder Kobo Daishi. It is believed he is in eternal meditation, which he entered in 835. Our guide shared a story about a monk who opened the doors 90 years later and found Kobo Daishi still there meditating. He took it upon himself to cut the great master’s hair and beard, before once again sealing off the room. It has remained closed for the last thousand years.
You can actually go down to the lower level of the temple, which is said to be in line with the cave he is located in, specifically about 15 meters behind the wall. Monks still bring Kobo Daishi freshly prepared breakfast, lunch and tea throughout the day, which visitors observe.
The path to the temple is lined with hundreds of cedar trees that are more than seven hundred years old. You’ll be able to see upwards of 200,000 gravestones and memorial towers. They mark souls, not graves these days. Occasionally you’ll spot one honouring companies – like Panasonic.
Once you get to the bridge you cleanse a Buddha statue (Pilgrims used to walk through the creek). Visitors should bow to Kobo Daishi before crossing, and photography, food and drink are forbidden beyond this point.
Our incredible guide told us plenty of interesting stories along the way. There is a well you can look into that is meant to reveal if you are likely to die in the next three years. And some stairs that it is considered unlucky if you trip up them.
There are lanterns that line the path, each featuring a moon at a different stage of its cycle. In Esoteric Buddhism monks use the image of a full moon when they meditate. Out guide explained this is because the moon is representative of the mind. It starts full, bright and clear, but then it changes shape every day. Like our mind. The message is that whatever happens, the basic shape is always the same.
Overall the experience was quite profound and definitely something everyone visiting the area should do.
Kongobu-ji Head Temple
Another place we visited was the Kongobu-ji Head Temple, located in the Danjyo Garan Sacred Temple Complex. It was originally constructed in 1593 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and was later merged with a neighbouring temple and reorganised into the head temple of Shingon Buddhism.
After entering the building, taking off their shoes and paying the admission fee (which was very reasonable), visitors will first come across the Ohiroma Room which was used for important rituals and religious ceremonies. It is home to 400-year-old painted partition screens that have been saved from fires by lightning multiple times. Monks are actually assigned screens to save in the event of an emergency. Behind the building is the Banryutei Rock Garden, the largest rock garden in Japan.
If you’re all temple-d out there are other things you can do in the area. Although, don’t look past some of the temples offering a great place to stop for lunch.
Like Shojoshin-in Temple, at which we enjoyed a delicious shojin curry, featuring vegetables from the local area of Koyasan.
For something completely different, you can try an incense-making class, like the one at Tempu Terrace, a two-level restaurant, gift shop, and café in town. Our class was specifically on Zuko (smell incense) and it was a lot of fun.
The writer was a guest of Tourism Exchange Japan.