Florian
February 22, 2025
Viewed as a hotel, the stay can be described as interesting and pleasant. However, anyone expecting a deeper insight into esoteric or Shingon Buddhism will be disappointed. Of course the evening/morning rituals and the vegan food are interesting and even spectacular, but hardly anything is explained and there is no opportunity for conversation or other contact with the monks. Since the journey to/from Osaka takes at least 3.5 hours, you should definitely plan on spending 2 nights in Koyasan so that you can see the sights without rushing. My impression was that the stay primarily serves to finance the temples, and not to introduce visitors to the teachings of Shingon Buddhism or the monks' way of life. I wouldn't travel to such a remote area again for this little insight.
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