Ekoin is a temple lodging, or shukubo, at 497 Koyasan in Wakayama, a short walk from the Ichinohashi entrance to Okunoin. Before you book, know five things: every official plan is prepaid by card; the large bath is heated spring water, not an onsen; the two cheapest room types have no private toilet or bath; meals are vegan with no onion or garlic; and although the temple site gives 19:00 as the last check-in, the booking page warns that after 17:30 you may lose dinner without a refund.
This page reads Ekoin’s Japanese and English sites and its official booking page. Where they differ, we show both and say where each comes from. Where they are silent, we say so.
Ekoin (Koyasan) at a glance
| Item | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Address | 497 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun, Wakayama 648-0211 |
| Check-in / out | From 14:00 / by 10:00 |
| Latest arrival | Temple site: 19:00; booking page: after 17:30 dinner may not be served, no refund |
| Payment | All official plans prepaid |
| Cancellation | Standard fees not published; early-booking plan: from 90 days out |
| Large bath | Heated spring water, not an onsen; 15:00–24:00 and 6:00–9:00 |
| Cheapest rooms | No private toilet or bath; shared facilities |
| Meals | Shojin ryori: vegan, no onion or garlic family; in your room |
| Free for guests | Morning service 7:00, goma fire ritual 7:30, ajikan meditation 16:30, sutra copying |
| Children 6–12 | 70% of the adult rate |
| Tattoos | Not stated by the temple |
From Ekoin’s official Japanese and English pages and booking page, read October 5, 2026.
What is Ekoin, and where is it on Koyasan?
What kind of temple is it?
A temple on Koyasan that takes overnight guests. The temple traces its origins to Kobo Daishi, Kukai, who it says built a five-story pagoda here about 1,200 years ago. It also calls itself the family temple of the warlord Akechi Mitsuhide, and says it took the name Ekoin on the order of Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eighth shogun. For the mountain itself, see our Koyasan guide.
Do I need to be Buddhist?
No. The English FAQ says Koyasan is a place people of all religions and denominations can visit. The Japanese FAQ adds that many guests are women, that women traveling alone can stay with confidence, and that there are female staff. The FAQ says there are English-speaking staff.
Is there a curfew, and can I smoke?
There is no curfew, the FAQ says. All rooms are non-smoking; use the outdoor smoking area. The temple can keep your luggage before and after check-in.
Getting to Ekoin on Koyasan
Which bus stop do I use?
From Koyasan Station, take the bus bound for Okunoin, about 15 minutes, and get off at Karukayado-mae, written “Karukaya-mae” on the English page. Ekoin is a 2-minute walk from the stop. The temple lists no pickup service. For the trains up the mountain, see our Koyasan guide; we leave out bus fares.
Can I drive?
Yes. The Japanese access page gives about 2 hours from Osaka, about 3 hours 40 minutes from Nagoya and about 2 hours 20 minutes from Kansai Airport. There are 30 free parking spaces on the temple grounds, but they cannot be reserved.
Check-in at Ekoin: the 17:30 dinner rule
What time are check-in and checkout?
Check-in is from 14:00 and checkout is by 10:00. The day runs to a fixed schedule, which the booking page lists:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 14:00 | Check-in |
| 16:30 | Ajikan meditation (arrive by 16:00 to join) |
| 17:30 | Dinner |
| 7:00 | Morning service |
| 7:30 | Goma fire ritual |
| 8:00 | Breakfast |
| 10:00 | Checkout |
Ekoin’s official booking page, read October 5, 2026.
How late can I arrive?
The two official sources say different things, so here are both. The temple site gives check-in from 14:00 with the last check-in at 19:00, asks you to let the temple know if you will arrive after dinner starts at 17:30, and asks you to consult it in advance if you might arrive after 19:00.
For the meditation at 16:30, the temple site asks you to arrive before it starts, and the booking page says by 16:00. Aim for 16:00.
Rooms at Ekoin: shared or private bathroom
Which room types are there?
| Room type | Size | Guests | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suite | 100 m² | 1–6 | Private semi-open-air bath and garden |
| Jr. Suite with semi-open-air bath | 60 m² + 20 m² garden | 1–4 | Semi-open-air bath, usable 24 hours |
| Jr. Suite | 65 m² + 15 m² garden | 1–6 | Shigaraki ceramic tub |
| Deluxe | 50 m² | 1–4 | Bath and toilet |
| Superior Japanese-Western | 40 m² | 2–3 | Private bathroom |
| Superior Japanese | 10 tatami mats | 1–3 | Bathroom with hinoki-paneled walls |
| Standard Japanese | 8–12 tatami mats | 1–4 | None; shared toilets and large bath |
| Compact Japanese | 6 tatami mats | 1–2 | None; shared toilets and large bath |
Official rooms page (Japanese), read October 5, 2026. Rates are left out on purpose. The booking page lists the suite as 100 m² plus a 70 m² garden.
Which rooms have no toilet?
The two cheapest types. The rooms page says the standard Japanese room has no bath or toilet, and that guests use the large bath and the shared toilets and washbasins; the compact Japanese room, which the temple suggests for solo stays, shares them too. If a private bathroom matters, book the superior Japanese room or above. The suite, which opened in March 2022, and the Jr. Suite with a semi-open-air bath, opened in April 2024, have their own outdoor-style baths.
What is in the room, and are there beds?
Beds are in the suites, the deluxe room and the superior Japanese-Western room, which also have air conditioning, floor heating, a fridge, a coffee maker and a toilet with a washlet. The Japanese-style rooms are heated with a gas stove. Free Wi-Fi covers every room. Hair dryers are in the large bath, and in the rooms with their own bathroom. Some rooms are on the second floor, so if stairs are hard for anyone in your group, tell the temple when you book.
The Ekoin bath, and the tattoo question
Is the large bath an onsen?
No. The temple describes it as heated Koyasan spring water, soft on the skin, and no page calls it an onsen. It is open from 15:00 to 24:00 and from 6:00 to 9:00. The English page writes the evening hours as “3 to 12 pm”; the Japanese page makes clear it means 3 p.m. to midnight. Body wash, shampoo and conditioner are provided.
Is the bath shared or private, and by gender?
The pages do not say. Whether the large bath is split by gender, or can be reserved privately, is not stated by the temple, so ask at check-in.
Can I use the bath with a tattoo?
We cannot tell you. The tattoo rule is not stated by the temple: its Japanese and English pages and its booking page say nothing about tattoos. Ask before you book. A room with its own bath, such as a suite or the deluxe room, means you never need the large bath. Our tattoos and onsen guide covers the wider picture.
Morning service, meditation and the Okunoin night tour
Which temple activities are free for guests?
| Activity | When | For guests |
|---|---|---|
| Morning service in the main hall | Every day, 7:00 | Free; guests only |
| Goma fire ritual in the Bishamon hall | Every day, 7:30 | Free, no booking |
| Ajikan meditation | Every day, 16:30, about 40 min | Free; age 6 and over |
| Sutra copying | Any time, in your room | Free; ask at check-in |
Official experience page and booking page, read October 5, 2026.
Preschool children cannot join the meditation; the booking page sets the minimum age at 6. A copied sutra can be left at Ekoin for free, or dedicated at Okunoin for a 1,000 yen fee. For a temple stay of a different kind, compare our Shunkoin temple stay guide.
Is the Okunoin night tour included?
The Japanese page says the tour meets at 19:00 and lasts about two hours, walking slowly along the Okunoin approach, and that from March to November it is often full and same-day bookings may not be possible, so book early. Ekoin publishes no price for it, so we do not give one. Note that the meeting time falls after the 17:30 dinner.
Shojin ryori at Ekoin: vegan meals and allergies
What is served?
Dinner and breakfast are shojin ryori, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, served in your room; groups of four or more eat in a separate room. The temple’s allergy policy says it uses no animal ingredients at all, including in the broth, and none of the five pungent vegetables, green onion, onion, garlic chives, garlic and rakkyo. So the meals suit vegetarians and vegans. The English page adds that the contents may change with the season. Alcohol and soft drinks cost extra.
How do I handle allergies or gluten?
Tell the temple at least one week ahead. It prepares allergy meals only for guests who actually have an allergy. Soy is in the soy sauce and miso, and guests with a wheat allergy or celiac disease get a gluten-free menu. The temple has only one kitchen, and it suggests that guests with severe allergies bring their own food if possible. For eating gluten-free elsewhere, see our gluten-free Japan guide.
Can I eat there without staying?
Yes, at lunch, from 11:00 to 13:00. Online bookings close 3 days ahead, and lunch bookings start from the 5,800 yen set; there is also a 7,800 yen set and a 5,800 yen gluten-free set.
Booking, payment, cancellation and kids at Ekoin
How far ahead can I book?
The pages give two answers. The lodging and rooms pages, and a news post, say bookings open 11 months ahead on the official site, and the news post says bookings for October 2027 open on November 1, 2026. The FAQ on the same site says 9 months. Check the booking calendar.
How do I pay?
Every plan on Ekoin’s official booking page is prepaid. The FAQ says almost all credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express, are accepted, along with various e-money services.
What does it cost to cancel?
Remember the 17:30 rule too: a late arrival that loses dinner is treated as a same-day cancellation of the meal. Our hotel cancellation guide explains how fees work across Japan.
What do children pay?
The official booking page sets children aged 6 to 12 at 70 percent of the adult rate, with meals and bedding. Children under 6 pay 70 percent with meals and bedding, 35 percent with only one of the two, and nothing with neither. The temple site itself does not list child rates. Day-use plans have no child rate. The women’s shared toilets have baby-changing tables. Compare other places in our kids stay free guide.
Who Ekoin suits
The official pages point to travelers who want to sleep next to Okunoin, join the 7:00 service and the 7:30 fire ritual, meditate, and eat vegan shojin ryori in their room, with English-speaking staff on hand. It is a harder fit for anyone arriving late in the evening, anyone who wants a firm cancellation policy before paying, travelers with tattoos who want the large bath, and budget travelers who need a private toilet.
Frequently asked questions
What time should I arrive at Ekoin?
Is the bath at Ekoin an onsen?
Do all rooms at Ekoin have a toilet?
Is the food at Ekoin vegan?
What is the cancellation policy at Ekoin?
Is the Okunoin night tour included at Ekoin?
Can I stay at Ekoin with a tattoo?
How much do children pay at Ekoin?
Bottom line (2026): Ekoin checks in from 14:00 and out by 10:00, a 2-minute walk from the Karukayado-mae bus stop. The temple site gives 19:00 as the last check-in, but the booking page warns that after 17:30 dinner may be lost without a refund, so arrive by then. Every plan is prepaid, standard cancellation fees are not published, the bath is not an onsen, the cheapest rooms share toilets, and meals are vegan.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page is from Ekoin’s own pages: the Japanese site and its lodging and FAQ, rooms, experience, cuisine and allergy, access, history and news pages; the English site and its lodging, experience, cuisine and access pages; and the official booking page, all read on October 5, 2026. Where two sources differ, we show both. Confirm on the official site before you book.
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