Ichijoin

Tout était parfait, depuis l'aimable moine qui nous a indiqué le temple (il n'en faisait pas partie) jusqu'au service religieux du matin. L'accueil était on ne peut plus aimable, la chambre confortable, la vue superbe, et les repas, délicieux.

We had always wanted to stay at a Shukubo (Temple Lodging) in Koyasan, but the idea of having to stay in very rustic, cold (or hot, depending on the season) rooms with little to no privacy was a big turnoff. We were also puzzled at the dizzying array of Shukubo to choose - there are 52 such properties in the area! We had two priorities: first, we were hoping to find a place that offered spacious accommodations, private toilet/shower/bath and as much privacy that can be offered in a Shukubo (and we were willing to pay for the privilege.) Secondly, we wanted a Shukubo that was renowned for incredible Shojin Ryori - a traditional vegan (although some are vegetarian) Buddhist devotional cuisine that has been perfected by Monks through the years... over 1400 years, to be a bit more precise. Through our own research and word of mouth, we settled on Ichijoin and its Special Room "Okushoin" (貴賓室 奥書院.) For us, it was a great choice. First, the Ichijoin itself: as with other Shukubo, it's an active, living Temple with actual practicing Monks calling the place home. There is a proper Hondo (main prayer hall) and a beautiful garden with a Koi pond. The "Otsutome" (morning ritual/prayers) by the Monks takes place in the Hondo building at 6:15 in the morning, and guests are allowed to witness (and, to some extent, participate in) the proceedings. They also have several other activities, including Shakyo (写経 - Sutra writing), "Shabutsu" (写仏 - a kind of Buddha sketching) and "Ajikan" (阿字觀), which is a type of Buddhist Yoga. All in all, a very unique cultural (and spiritual) experience, and is definitely worth staying at one of the 50+ Shukubo that populate the Koyasan area. What impressed us was the quality of service and level of thoughtfulness that Ichijoin displayed towards its guests. For example, service is conducted to a very high standard and reminiscent of staying in a higher end ryokan. They carried our luggage to/from our room, courteously answered all of our questions about Koyasan touring, Ichijoin's history and the various rituals that take place in the Shukubo. It's a bit more quiet and dignified, sure, but the Monks tending to the Shukubo really go out of their way to ensure their guests go away satisfied and immersed from the whole experience. Other nice touches include chairs for guests during the morning prayers. Yes - chairs in a tatami room. And yes, even Japanese (while many may not admit it) find sitting on a tatami floor for extended periods of time a very uncomfortable thing to do - especially the elderly. The chairs are well padded and gave us the chance to focus on the experience rather than adjusting our sitting position due to discomfort. Unlike many other Shukubo that we researched, at Ichijoin the meals are privately served in owe's own room by a designated Monk-butler. All of this really adds to the serenity of the experience - it's not really meant to be a loud and communal one, and Ichijoin does a really good job of delivering