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Traditional Accommodation
Reservations
The most convenient way to book a ryokan room is through online reservation sites. These websites have long lists of ryokan options all over
Japan, and they offer good rates and deals, somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 yen per person a night. Some of the highly recommended
ryokan reservation websites are Japanese Guesthouses, Rakuten Travel and Japanican.
Shukubo
Staying overnight at a shukubo, or Buddhist Temple, is on the bucket list of many travellers to Japan. This is not surprising as this type of
traditional accommodation offers an exceptional journey, an opportunity to experience the simple yet interesting day-to-day lives of Buddhist
monks.
In Japan, there are various cities and regions that have shukubo lodgings, but the most popular is Koyasan. Home to over 50 Buddhist temples,
Koyasan welcomes throngs of pilgrims and tourists all year round who want to share in this unique experience.
Accommodation Features
Similar to ryokan, temple rooms are traditional Japanese spaces that have tatami flooring and sliding doors. They also vary in design and size,
and can accommodate two, four, or even more people. They generally have one low table and a number of floor seat cushions.
Bedding
Shukubo provide futons, comforters, and Japanese-style pillows to their guests. This bedding is laid out directly on the tatami floors when it is
time to sleep, and are kept in a closet in the room during the day.
Bathroom
Most shukubo offer shared washrooms for all their guests. However, there are also the more expensive and luxurious ones that provide private
bathrooms with complimentary amenities, such as washcloths, toothbrushes, and soap.
Food
When booking a shukubo, the price includes meals for breakfast and dinner. The staff serve breakfast at around 7 in the morning, after the 6am
prayer ceremonies, and dinner is usually at 6 in the evening. The menu consists of vegetarian food, such as koyadofu or freeze dried tofu, yuba
or tofu skin, and konnyaku or devils tongue jelly, which make up the monks’ traditional diet.
Other Amenities
Many Buddhist temples are located in large complexes that have several gardens, treasure halls, and baths, which guests can visit and explore
during their stay.
Reservations
To make a reservation at a shukubo, which may cost between 3,000 and 20,000 yen a night per individual, you may check out the following
websites: Japanese Guest Houses, Japanican, and Shukubo.net, all of which have lists of temple lodgings in Koyasan and other Japanese
regions.
247 - Japan Travel Guide