During my solo trip to Nagano, I had the chance to stay at a shukubo (temple lodging) right next to Zenkoji, one of Japan’s most historically significant Buddhist temples – and it turned out to be the highlight of my entire trip.
About Zenkoji
Zenkoji Temple was founded in the 7th century, making it over 1,400 years old. It’s considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Japan, as it enshrines the first Buddhist statue ever brought into the country.
Uniquely, Zenkoji is not affiliated with any specific Buddhist sect, making it open to everyone – regardless of religious background. Millions of visitors come each year to walk its sacred grounds, seek spiritual clarity, or simply experience its powerful presence.
One of its most famous features is the okaidan meguri, a pitch-dark underground passage under the main hall. You walk in complete darkness, searching for a hidden key that symbolizes enlightenment. It’s surprisingly intense and symbolic.
Staying at a Shukubo
Rather than booking a hotel, I opted to stay at one of the shukubo lodgings run by the temple community. It felt like stepping into a different era.
Here’s what the experience was like:
•The setting: As I arrived just before sunset, the sound of temple bells echoed through the quiet streets. The air smelled faintly of incense. Everything felt calm, timeless.
•The room: Tatami mats, sliding shoji doors, no television or distractions. Minimalist but deeply relaxing.
•Dinner: I was served shojin ryori (traditional Buddhist vegan cuisine). No meat, no garlic or onions – but the flavors were delicate and profound. Honestly, it was one of the best meals I had in Japan.
•Morning ceremony: At 5:30am, I joined the monks in their morning chanting ritual inside the main hall. The sound of sutras being chanted in unison while candlelight flickered in the background—it was one of the most moving experiences of my trip.
•People: The staff (often monks or temple caretakers) were incredibly kind and welcoming. Despite my limited Japanese, they made everything easy and memorable.
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t just a place to sleep – it was a deeply spiritual and peaceful experience.
In the middle of a fast-paced trip, this night felt like hitting pause. I walked away feeling lighter, clearer, and more grounded. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something more meaningful than just sightseeing.
Would you ever stay in a temple like this?
Or have you tried one in another part of Japan?
by kei2025
7 comments
This sounds like a very memorable experience. Thank you for sharing. I will add this to my must visit list.
I did Shukubo at Hojo-in in Koyasan, and the experience sounds very similar. Beautiful garden & wonderful Shojin ryori. Breakfast was served while having a chat with and English speaking priest.
There was an underground passage at another temple, very eerie.
I did a shukubo stay at Eko-in in Koyasan and it was the highlight of my trip as well!! The temple was so peaceful; I got to join in on an Akijan meditation in english, and the monk that brought my dinner was pretty new to the life and a big Ghibli fan; we saw my keychain of Gigi and we ended up chatting for a long time about our favorite movies and anime!
Did a night tour of the cemetery, then the morning prayers and a Gouma fire ritual afterwards! I think everyone should have a shukubo experience somewhere in Japan, it’s such a peaceful, fascinating thing to do!
My first shukubo was at a small and very quiet temple in Minobu, a very short walk from Kuon-ji, the head temple for the Nichiren sect. Upon arrival to the temple, we were greeted by the monk and we did a welcoming blessing and greeting/prayer in the temple’s main hall. If we had arrived earlier we would have been able to participate in suigyo (a purifying ritual where one splashes water onto oneself) but our drive took longer than expected since we were doing a pretty long road trip. I think we arrived around 7:00pm so it was already dark during that time of year.
Shojin ryori was made for us by the monk’s wife, and it was so incredibly flavorful. The bath was massive and spotlessly clean. Our futons were like clouds, impossibly fluffy. Best night of sleep I’ve ever had. Woke up at 4:30 am for a before-sunrise walk and tour with our temple’s monk around the grounds of kuon-ji. Watched the most intense bell-ringing from a student monk at kuon-ji. They basically pull back the rope of the bell so far that they lay flat on the ground.
Did morning gongyo chants at sunrise and continued our walk around the grounds of kuonji with our monk. Returned to our shukubo temple to rest before another delicious shojin ryori breakfast. Rode the cable car to the top of the mountain and watched mt fuji through the clouds.
Really lovely experience. I think a lot of people go to koyasan, which is also a great location (I’ve also stayed here overnight via car camping-really fun as well! We met a lot of people on their own pilgrimages who were staying via camper vans and trailers) but I really loved the privateness of our stay in Minobu. It’s a really beautiful area.
That sounds amazing. We’re going in November and have been trying to get a spot at Eihei-ji, but they seem to not be opening anything after October. Our backup plan is to stay at the hotel affiliated with the monastery and participate in the morning service. For those who don’t know, Eihei-ji is the monastery founded in the 1200s by Dogen founder of the Soto school of Zen. The “sister” monastery opened by his disciple Keizan, called Soji-Ji, is located in Kamakura, and we plan to tour that one.
why you using chatgpt
sounds like a really special stay. i did something similar at a temple in koyasan—loved the food and the quiet vibe. the underground passage there was super spooky too. definitely worth adding to your travel list if you’re into unique cultural experiences.
How to book?
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