TEMPLE HOTEL TAKAYAMA ZENKOJI

We (my wife and I) stayed in the Zenko-Ji Temple hotel for one night and had a fantastic experience. We were greeted warmly right from the beginning by the friendly staff and could check in despite arriving a bit before the check-in time. After the quick check-in we had a small tour of the place and got an introduction to the temple and the various possible activities we can partake in. We had a lovely room (Sakura room), nothing fancy but very fitting to the place itself- traditional, simplistic yet comfortable. The next day we joined the morning prayer at 7:00 am which is highly recommended. Afterwards we also had a meditation session with the head monk who runs the temple/hotel. It was a great experience with some useful insights about meditation. Overall I would highly recommend staying here. It's not a place for a fancy stay but a place that can offer an insight to Buddhism in Japan, where you can have lovely conversations with the friendly staff and enjoy a peaceful environment.

Nothing bad to say. Simply come with the right expectations and an open mind and you will have a great time. We had some really nice conversations there, learned about Japanese culture, about Buddhism, temples in Japan, etc.

The experience was fantastic.we were greeted with such friendliness and when the monk realized we had an early start in the morning and we would miss the morning service of prayers. He gave a quick introduction and prayer in the afternoon. Thank you and sorry we couldn't say goodbye in the morning. The place was spotless with ultra modern toilet and bathroom and kitchenette. Our only regret was we didn't book for longer. Location very close to 7/11 and small walk into old town. Excellent. Please try and visit the small coffee shop opposite.run by the most friendly old couple who looked after us 1st thing in the morning while waiting to drop our cases off😊 Ps our futon was 100 times more comfortable than our last ryokan

Nothing to dislike

The priest manager, the facility and the chanting event in the morning they invited us. Good service, kitchen and refrigerator are available. Excellent bathroom & toilet (just too far away from my Moon-room, but that's not a problem.

The temple was VERY COLD in winter (January when i arrived) The manager priest using high power kerosene gas heater to warm us up. But the one in my room was defect a little bit, and i can smell kerosene in my room. So, i decided to turn it off and rely on A/C and electric blanket, and they are comfy. The walk way to toilet was FREEZING, but my experience was great. Still love this place

This temple stay was exceptional. Everything from the room, facilities, staff and the whole experience was fantastic. Unforgettable! It is very very clean, has so many facilities to use in the room I especially liked the use of the free washing machine and dryer in my room (flower room) and the morning prayer ceremony was interesting. I also opted for meditation which I also enjoyed. Monk Keiji san was extremely friendly and helpful, which made coming to a temple stay for the first time as a solo traveller much less daunting. Thank you!

Of course the temple is quite chilly in places as it’s winter now however there are 3 powerful heaters in the room that work really well so it was not too bad other than when you cross to the communal areas you can feel a bit cold

The room was spacious, pristine and the bedding, super comfortable. The sleeping space is uncluttered as the room is compartmentalised, there was a separate space for bags, bathroom, toilet and washing machine. Though the temple is in central Takayama, it was quiet and peaceful with a beautiful view of a Zen garden. The head priest was not just fluent in English but explained the philosophy and psychological aspects of Buddhism relevant to modern living. I personally enjoyed the morning prayers and meditation session. It was a good way to start the day. I would do such a temple stay again,

Nothing

We like the calmness and serenity of the facility. Wonderful staff and Head Priest who were so patient and kind. The temple was clean and allowed us the space to reflect. The room was comfortable and had sufficient heating. The in room washroom and washer/dryer was excellent. We participated in the temple activities such as the morning prayer, sutra copying and a search for a key in a dark room. All of them were wonderful experiences which we will treasure. We will highly recommend this hotel to our family and friends. Thank you for having us.

Nil

It was a very special experience staying in a Buddhist temple and we all got an excellent night's sleep on the futon beds on the floor. Room was a good size and shared bathroom was clean. The chief monk and staff make you feel very welcome. We took the opportunity to participate in morning prayers, which was an interesting experience and great way to start the day. There is a small kitchen, seating area for everyone to use too. It was a brief visit so we didn't have time to take advantage of any of the activities on offer.

Our room was right next to the main temple room and we had to walk through it to reach the kitchen, bathroom, entrance door etc so walking back and forth we felt like we were disturbing the meditation session that was going on there in the morning.

It was amazing to be staying inside a very old temple, just off the shrine room. The staff were great. They couldn't help enough. The shared bathroom was amazing, but requires booking. Breakfast was available at a quaint cafe over the road. Stepping outside to fresh snow in the morning was an amazing experience.

It was very cold at night and the trek to the bathroom was a bit daunting. However, the cold was part of the experience, so I don't really fault it. The heating and bedding were sufficient, but the building is very old.

We liked the opportunity to sleep in a real and well maintained Buddhist temple, close to the town. The space felt intimate and the bath in the (shared) bathroom is one of the best I have ever had, thanks to a really spacious and pleasant shower. In the morning you get the chance to join an authentic Buddhist celebration and the monk makes the effort to make you understand the meaning of it, by providing information in English. The hotel also offers the opportunity to sign in to extra experiences like calligraphy or meditation.

Our room was a bit small but that's fine. Unfortunately it was only heated by a gas (non electric) heater and for this reason, we didn't feel safe keeping it turned on at night and ended up being cold in the morning. This was our choice, but just mentioning. We would have appreciated a bit more interaction with the monk, a part from the morning celebration the overall experience felt slightly dry, at least for our expectations. Although laundry is indicated among the hotel services, this is actually an external independent launderette positioned 5 min on foot from the accomodation site.

Sleeping in a Buddhist temple is a really unique experience! The host is a Buddhist monk, he is very friendly, speaks good english and is passionate to explain his culture and beliefs. The place is an authentic temple, with traditional architecture and furniture. The room is spacious, with tatami floors and futon beds, which were comfortable. There is a very nice common kitchen and living space available. The shared toilet and bath are newly renovated and very clean. They have many activities (some for an additional cost), we participated in the morning prayer which is something to recommend.

Our room was close to the temple hall and we had to walk through it, which may be an issue during prayers or activities. It was not an issue for us, since we attended the prayer ourself, but otherwise is going to be loud early in the morning ;-)