Komyoin is a temple lodging (shukubo) on Mount Koya in Wakayama, founded in 1183 and describing itself as a temple that has kept praying for 840 years. Guests sleep in simple Japanese rooms, eat shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) and can join the temple’s daily practice. Before you book, three things matter: it is closed every Monday and Tuesday; you should arrive early, because after 18:30 no dinner is served and the meal is not refunded; and meditation, the morning service, the goma fire ritual and sutra copying are free for guests.
What a night at Komyoin looks like
The official booking page sets out the schedule for its basic plan. Times can change on days with temple events.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 15:00 onward | Check-in (aim to arrive by around 17:00) |
| 17:00–21:00 | Shared baths open |
| 18:00 | Shojin ryori dinner |
| 19:30 | Meditation |
| Day 2, 7:00 | Morning service in the main hall |
| Day 2, 8:00 | Goma fire ritual |
| Any time | Sutra copying |
| 9:30 | Checkout |
From the official booking page and site, read October 16, 2026.
Which temple experiences are included?
All four plans on the booking page include meditation, sutra copying and the goma fire ritual for free, and guests can join the morning service at 7:00. Sutra copying can be done at any time you like. The temple also has a library and a sutra copying room; ask at the temple office about their hours. Goshuin (temple seals) and amulets are available too.
What is special about the temple itself?
The temple has long ties to the Hachisuka family of Awa, whose remains and memorial tablets it keeps. Its main hall is built in white-walled storehouse style, which the temple calls rare on Mount Koya, and the main image is a standing Amida Buddha flanked by Kannon and Seishi. The Jodan-no-ma, the most formal room, is where feudal lords once stayed or rested. In spring, the garden’s rhododendrons draw many visitors.
Komyoin at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 493 Koyasan, Koya Town, Ito District, Wakayama |
| Phone | +81-736-56-2149 |
| Closed | Every Monday and Tuesday |
| Rooms | 12 Japanese rooms of 6 to 16 tatami mats, all non-smoking |
| Bath and toilet in room | None |
| Check-in / out | From 15:00 / 9:30 |
| Meals | Shojin ryori dinner and breakfast in a private room |
| Prices | From 9,000 yen per adult (room only, 2 per room) |
| Parking | Free, 15 cars and 3 buses |
From the official site and booking page, read October 16, 2026.
What are the rooms like?
The temple describes its rooms as simple Japanese rooms in shukubo style, and says plainly that, as a temple lodging, it does not have the latest facilities. Each room has a tea set, a hot-water pot, a yukata, a padded tanzen robe, a bath towel, a towel and a toothbrush, and the booking page says internet works in the room. The whole temple is non-smoking, with a smoking spot beside the entrance. A hall for 80 people is also used by groups.
Shojin ryori meals at Komyoin
What are dinner and breakfast like?
Both dinner and breakfast are shojin ryori, served in a separate private room; on days with temple events, meals may be in the large hall instead. Dinner is at 18:00. The temple says it serves warm dishes warm and cold dishes cold, and the Sannozen plan adds a fuller vegetarian course. The temple also serves lunch, mainly on Sundays, at 3,850 or 5,500 yen; it must be booked ahead.
Can the temple handle allergies or a special diet?
The official pages do not mention allergies or dietary needs. They say the meal content can be discussed depending on the price or group use, so contact the temple before you book: by phone at +81-736-56-2149 or by the email address shown on the official site (komyouin493@outlook.jp).
The shared baths at Komyoin
When can I use the baths?
There is one indoor bath for men and one for women, with no open-air bath or sauna, open from 17:00 to 21:00. The site asks that each group use the bath on its own. Body soap, rinse-in shampoo and a hair dryer are provided. The official pages do not say whether the water is a hot spring.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Ask the temple before you book; our tattoo and bathing guide explains what to ask.
Prices, children, cancellation and payment at Komyoin
How much does a stay cost?
Per adult per night with two people in a room, the official booking page lists these starting prices, tax included. No deposit is needed, and the basic plan takes bookings of up to 3 nights, until midnight 2 days before.
| Plan | 16 mats | 8 mats | 6 mats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic plan (dinner and breakfast) | 18,000 yen | 16,000 yen | 14,000 yen |
| Sannozen plan (dinner and breakfast) | 20,000 yen | 18,000 yen | 16,000 yen |
| Breakfast only | 14,500 yen | 12,500 yen | 10,500 yen |
| Room only | 13,000 yen | 11,000 yen | 9,000 yen |
Starting prices from the official booking page, read October 16, 2026.
Koya Town’s tax page lists no bathing tax or accommodation tax as of October 16, 2026 (Koya Town).
What do children cost?
On the basic plan, elementary school children pay 70 percent of the adult rate. Infants with meals pay 50 percent, with or without bedding, and infants with bedding only or with neither are free.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellation rules are set per plan, so check the table on your plan’s booking page before you book. The temple asks you to let it know at least 2 days before if you cancel. Arriving after 18:30 counts as a same-day cancellation for the meal. Our hotel cancellation guide covers how these fees work in Japan.
How do I pay?
The booking page offers payment at the temple or online by card. The site lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners and DC, for room and lunch charges only.
Getting to Komyoin in Koyasan
How do I get there by train and bus?
Take the Nankai Koya Line from Namba to Gokurakubashi, about 90 minutes by limited express or 100 minutes by express, then the cable car to Koyasan Station in 5 minutes. From there, ride a bus bound for Okunoin, get off at Karukayado-mae and walk 2 minutes. For the wider area, see our Koyasan guide.
Is there parking or a pickup?
Guests park for free (15 cars, 3 buses), including lunch guests. The official pages do not mention a pickup service. The temple holds luggage before check-in and after checkout.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Komyoin
- The temple has an English website and an English booking page with plans and prices.
- Do not plan a Monday or Tuesday night; the lodging is closed.
- Aim to arrive by around 17:00. After 18:30, dinner cannot be served for food safety reasons and the meal is not refunded.
- Rooms have no bath or toilet, and the shared baths close at 21:00.
- The temple notes that it is not a hotel and lacks the latest facilities; the morning service starts at 7:00 if you want to join.
Frequently asked questions
Which days is Komyoin closed?
What time should I arrive at Komyoin?
Are the temple experiences at Komyoin free?
Does Komyoin have private bathrooms?
What is the cancellation policy at Komyoin?
Bottom line (2026): Komyoin is a temple lodging on Mount Koya with shojin ryori, shared baths and free meditation, morning service, goma ritual and sutra copying. Avoid Mondays and Tuesdays, arrive well before 18:30, and book on the official English booking page.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Komyoin’s official pages: home (Japanese), home (English), facilities, rooms, meals, temple grounds, access, the official English booking page and the Japanese booking page, plus Koya Town’s tax page. All were read on October 16, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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