Welcome to Hoon-in. This traditional Buddhist Temple has a very warm and cozy atmosphere, and it is recommended for guests seeking a family-style temple. The hosts at Hoon-in are very friendly, and will go out of their way to make you feel at home. There are 16 Japanese-style guest rooms in their "Honkan" and "Bekkan". None of the guest rooms have private baths or toilets. Hoon-in provides shared baths for both women and men, and "shojin ryori"or Buddhist Monk vegetarian meals are served to the guests.

Important warning: Please note that in Mt Koya there are 2 temples with a very similar name: Hoon-in and Honno-in. Japanese Guest Houses only works with Hoon-in. Please make sure you go to Hoon-in.

Facilities

Guest Photos:

You Must Be Logged In To Submit A Guest Review

Ryokan Reviews:

• Wonderful Stay

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, the staff made us feel welcome and cared for at Hoon-In. Check-in began with a short tour of the beautiful temple on the way to our room where we found tea and treats to enjoy as we did the necessary paperwork and selected our beverage options for that night's dinner. All of the temples and other sights of Koyasan are within easy walking distance and the hosts provide excellent lunch and other recommendations. Each day's menu was wonderful and varied (we would return for the goma-tofu alone). After checkout we left our bags and took in some more sights, leaving our bags at Hoon-In. We stopped by to pick up our bags and they graciously made sure our water jugs were full, allowed us to freshen up in the restroom, and served coffee in the front garden as we had a little time before our bus down the hill. A final note on the morning services. What a wonderful way to start a day of touring in Koya-san. The priests were welcoming and the ritual quite beautiful. This is the perfect place for those who enjoy beautiful and graceful hospitality delivered with modesty and care.

• Perfect stay at an amazing place

  Dominik

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Croatia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We went to Koyasan in October 2019, and had a single night stay in Hoon-in. When we arrived at the temple, we were immediately greeted by really helpful, cheerful and kind hosts. The shojin ryori food served for dinner and breakfast was an amazing experience, as was the morning prayer that we were invited to witness. This same positive impression continued throughout our stay - staying at Hoon-in was really one of the highlights of our trip to Japan, and we would warmly recommend it to anyone visiting Mt. Koya. Thanks for a great stay!

• Hoon-in, March 2020

  Priyavadita

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I arrived at Koya with two travelling companions in late March on a day of heavy snow fall. Koya was cold! But magical. We stayed at Hoon in. No other guests were present for the first two nights-it being the end of winter and the we were in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. We were treated to a simply excellent stay. No problem with heaters and plenty of spare duvets. Splendid hot communal bath. Absolutely divine vegetarian food, prepared with such care and love. Perfect hosts. Sitting meditating with the monks and listening to the evocative chanting. We are Buddhists, who had come to pay homage to Kukai having spent a couple of weeks visiting temples and gardens in Kyoto and Nara. I was already entranced with all we had experienced in Japan, but Koya was something else and so was staying at the Hoon-in. Thank you so much for looking after us!

• Good Stay but one quibble

  Gregory

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Overall, our two night stay was very good. We chose this place because it is not one of the large temples popular with groups. Unfortunately, however, Hoon-in serves meals in a group setting with guests placed beside each other in lines. While this is the most efficient way for Hoon-in and we have nothing against our fellow guests, we would have preferred to dine alone, even with just screens separating diners as we have seen done in other places.

• Unique stay in Hoon-in temple

  Ronnie

  Date of Review: October, 2019

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I've been to a traditional Japanese Ryokan before but never in a Buddhist temple, so this experience was incredible. Koyasan is a beautiful place and it contributed to the uniqueness of this stay. One of the reasons I chose this place is due to their high awareness of allergies, they adjust the dinner and breakfast to the customer needs without harming the experience. I was served by a staff member with perfect English that was able to accommodate all my special requests while adding value to my visit with guides and additional information. This indeed was a beautiful experience, should I be in Koyasan again I will definitely visit Hoon-in again!

• Welcoming, friendly, transformative

  Mark

  Date of Review: October, 2019

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  You can expect an incredibly warm, insightful reception from the staff at the Hoon-In. They are accommodating and helpful when problems crop up in your plans (like typhoon Hagibis)) . The location is excellent, essentially immediately opposite from the Danjo Garan temple complex, making a excellent opportunity for night viewing of the temples, bell and statues. Very atmospheric. We found the food excellent and filling despite us not being vegetarians--much of what we ate was unfamiliar but tasty. The tatami mat rooms and futons were comfortable, though if you are unable to sit on the floor comfortably just ask for more pillows to sit on. Bus access is at stop #19 immediately opposite the Hoon In. We walked to most locations in town. If you have time try to do some walking outside the town as there are many trails through the mountainsides. The cemetery was possibly one of the most intriguing sites we have every visited...this is about a 20 minute walk from the Hoon-In. We stopped at another larger inn and found the environment less relaxing and welcoming, so the smaller Hoon In is an excellent choice.

• Delightful stay

  Ingrid

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: US

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a wonderful two night stay at Hoon-In. The reservation process was easy to follow, and went smoothly. The staff were incredibly welcoming, and gave us all the information we needed. The food was absolutely amazing - there were 10 different dishes in our dinners and 6 in breakfast. Different types of tofu, seaweed, vegetables and more, all explained. Staff spoke English well, and were very accommodating of another guest's food allergy. The rooms were comfortable and clean, and the bath area was quite nice. We quite enjoyed our stay in Koyasan and at Hoon-In.

• Great atmosphere

  Lyset

  Date of Review: May, 2019

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Netherlands

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We visited KoyaSan in May 2019 and stayed in Hoon-In for 2 nights. We really love the atmosphere in KoyaSan and in Hoon-In. Staff was really friendly and supportive. On arrival, they showed us the place, and welcomed us with tea in our room. The room was large and very convenient. Breakfast and dinner were both very well prepared and it also looked great! The sanitary facilities were very clean and good. We were lucky that we were the only guests during our stay, and had the facilities all for ourselves, which was nice. In the morning, we joined the prayer session, which was very interesting. Hoon-In is situated very close to the Daimon gate (beautifull!!) and around 30 minute walk from the start of the cemetary. There are buses around, if you don't like to walk. Very close to the Hoon-In is a small familyMart, and everywhere in town are small restaurants (open during the day). I would advise Hoon-In, if you like a place that's not too big, and not overcrowded with tourists, and lovely lovely lovely hosts.

• Thanks Hoon-In!

  John

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a beautiful stay at Hoon-In, where the friendly staff kindly spoke lots of English to us. It's a *little* tricky to find - instructions say get off at Atago-mae bus stop and it'll be clearly signed - signage is subtle at best and is actually a few buildings back up the road from the bus stop, but we found it eventually and very glad we did! We were warmly welcomed and given a tour before being shown to our huge double room with adjoining living space, where tea was already set out waiting for us - lovely. We enjoyed delicious dinner and breakfast in the communal dining room with the other guests, and attended the prayer session in the morning, which was very calming even though we were not familiar with the ritual at all.... Hoon-In is well situated for the largest gate, Daimon, and having walked around town I would say it's in the best part (biased!) - especially for watching the sunset and getting mountain views from near Daimon. It's also close to the university / college complex where there are lots of shrines. We shared the guest house with a large group of young school kids and they were brilliantly behaved and noise was definitely not an issue, in case there are any concerns about that. We watched them at dinner time to see how to do it properly... Would definitely recommend Hoon-In to anybody thinking of staying in Koya-San.

• Séjour agréable

  Céline

  Date of Review: April, 2019

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Accueil très agréable et souriant dans ce petit temple. Chambre spacieuse, couchages confortables (couette de rêve, la meilleure de nos 13 jours au Japon !). Bons repas végétariens. La cérémonie du matin était courte mais l'un des moines nous a prévenu d'une procession le jour même à laquelle nous avons pu assister aussi. Notre séjour a été un peu écorné par la présence d'une famille qui n'a pas cessé de prendre des selfies - conduite peu à propos, surtout dans un tel endroit. C'est d'ailleurs notre seul regret : ne pas avoir été suffisamment dans une ambiance de retraite spirituelle. Mais un séjour d'une nuit ne suffit probablement pas à s'immerger suffisamment.

• Relaxing temple stay in the mesmerising town Koyasan

  Saskia

  Date of Review: April, 2019

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: The Netherlands

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  From the moment that the temple received me and gave me a tour, till the check-out after the delicious breakfast, I enjoyed my stay at Hoon-in. Not only does Japanese Guest Houses provide you with a very clear confirmation letter and route to the temple, they also give you a heads up about the prayers at the temple and the meals and what to expect. It was very easy to get there and the staff at Hoon-in was just sweet. The room very comfortable (and traditional), the food very tasty and the facilities were perfect. I'd definitely recommend this temple-stay to friends and family and really would like to return one day to Hoon-in and Koyasan. A tip: one the 21st of the month there is a parade/celebration in the cemetery (which is really worth a visit any day).

• Relaxing and delicious stay at Hoon-In

  Yvonne

  Date of Review: April, 2019

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I absolutely loved my stay at Hoon-in and Koyasan. Lovely and friendly staff, beautiful rooms and delicious food. The location is great to explore the major temples and even Okunoin can be reached on foot in under 30 minutes (or take one of the buses). The morning prayer was meditative and we were given protection omamori as a gift. Can't recommend it highly enough! Great for independent solo travellers.

• Highly recommended

  James

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  The opposite end of the town from Okunoin, close to Daimon and the Garan temple complex. Tucked away down a side street, without much in the way of garden, but beautiful guest room and internal spaces. No grandiose, visually impressive exterior like Eko-in, but it's a temple. Impeccable hospitality, delicious meals. (There was only one other guest while we were there, who we never saw.)

• Amazing experience, even on your own.

  Kim

  Date of Review: December, 2018

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I had such a fantastic time at Hoon-in visiting by myself near the end of my trip. The staff is very friendly and welcoming and the facilities themselves are gorgeous and clean. It gets a bit chilly in November, but they provide you with a heater for your room and kotatsu so you're comfortable. The food was also second to none. They accommodated my gluten free (celiac) dietary need without complaint. There is also a lot to do in the local area, from shrine visits to hiking. Make sure you go on the night tour as well!

• Enjoyable

  Kalli

  Date of Review: November, 2018

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Estonia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Nice, small temple with good atmosphere. Very friendly staff and good vegetarian food. A little bit noisy because of people living in next room.

• Profound, fun and delicate experience for a family

  Laure

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We are a family of 5. Our children are 10, 13 and 16. We all enjoyed the stay at Hoon in very much. The staff who welcomed us were highly welcoming and warm. We were the main guests at that time. There was only another couple in a room downstairs. We therefore had the bathrooms and tubs to ourselves which was rather delightful as my teen age children did not want to be undressed in front of strangers. The food was delicious and we had so much fun getting dressed in the kimono! The vests were amazingly warm which was required due to the cold. The heater in our room was very powerful and allowed us to be very warm in our room. It was also deliciously warm in the dining room. And the hot bath is a blessing! We also were delighted with the prayer at 6:30am. The whole family attended and appreciated the peace and serenity. We recommend highly!

• Most wonderful experience

  Marie margaux

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I stayed in this wonderful place for 2 nights and 3 days, where I had one of the most wonderful experiences I have had in my life. Most of the temples in Koyasan are much bigger, so staying in Hoon-in felt much more private and special. There were only a few guests, so we could all have a nice conversation during breakfast and dinner and share bathing time too. I was lucky enough to arrive on a day where they had a guided meditation session, which was one of the best I have had. The morning prayer was beautiful, the food was gorgeous. The monks were so kind and sweet, and the atmosphere was so regenerating and peaceful. A few of us had a shiatsu massage booked for the evening, which was excellent too. I highly recommend this place for whoever wants a peaceful and nurturing stay!

• Disappointing

  Diemut

  Date of Review: October, 2018

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 1

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Everything was amazing... the staff, the room , the location, the food (one of the finest dinners I've ever eaten) all surpassed my expectations. I was ready for the most amazing stay and fell asleep peacefully, only to awaken two hours later (around 1AM) with people running around in the halls and the room next to me, talking and laughing loudly, slamming doors, clanging dishes etc. After about an hour I finally turned on the heater for white noise and plugged my ears and went back to sleep... only to be woken AGAIN around 4AM by the guests upstairs rising early, talking and walking up and down the stairs. So with about 3 hours of sleep I was not happy. I mentioned this experience at check-out and was told that the owner had a personal guest who had come in late. And that the early rising guests were bus drivers who had to report to duty early. I understand.. but what began as one of the most amazing experiences I wanted everyone I know to have, ended with hmm maybe not exactly the temple stay one would expect. So unfortunate :(

• Wonderful Experience

  Kathryn

  Date of Review: October, 2018

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: US

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  After a 5+ hour trip, I arrived late to Hoon-in, to be greeted with the kindest people who immediately served me with a huge feast that just couldn't have been more welcome after a long journey. This is one of the smaller temples, but hosted people from Israel, France, Japan & the US in just my two nights there. The food is exceptional, and the location makes it easy to walk everywhere. Even though they don't have an official onsen, there is a communal bath for soaking after long days of walking. As a solo traveler I couldn't have been more pleased with the whole experience.

• Awesome and cozy experience

  Date of Review: October, 2018

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Brazil

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Hello fellow travelers! I've had an amazing experience at Hoon-in. I loved going on the nightly graveyard tours and hearing about the history and cultural aspects of Koyasan during the tour. I loved the tasty dinner with a lot of cuisine I was not used to (there was a particular dish that tasted very bitter though, so be ready for some different tastes :)). The bath was also very relaxing - it's a tub that fits up to 4 people with boiling water. I loved how I found this dressing robe I was not expecting at the room. It looked like a very traditional japanese costume, and it was very comfortable. I also enjoyed the very traditional aspect of the room, and the very thick blanket. One thing to note though for light sleepers is that the rooms are divided with wooden/papery doors, which makes them not so sound proof. On the morning after, there was a nice prayer service where we were gifted a protection charm :). And then we got to a delicious breakfast and that was it! Oh, and the staff was very helping and friendly. Yoshi-san would make sure things were okay for us!, and he spoke great english! I definitely recommend it. Cheers! Guilherme

• Wonderful One-night stay

  Line

  Date of Review: October, 2018

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Norway

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I had a wonderful stay here. They were a bit busy the night I was there, as there were several large groups staying there, but still I found it a quiet and peaceful experience. The food was absolutely amazing. I am otherwise a meat eater, and generally never cook purely vegetarian food, but I do love trying new things and this was absolutely wonderful. I can really recommend taking your time to enjoy it. I attended the ceremony in the morning (which is voluntary). It was something completely different and not like anything I've experienced before. Everything happened in japanese though, so I didn't quite get everything, but still worth the experience. The bath was nice. Simple and somewhat worn facilities, but it did the job and was good after a day of travelling and sightseeing. The temple is located near the great Daimon gate, which is a must see in Koyasan. I see some people complaining about it beeing a bit far from the town centre, but Koyasan is a small town and mostly everything is within walking distance anyway. So for me that was not a problem, as I'm used to travelling on my feet. All in all, a wonderful stay.

• One night stay at Hoon-in

  Chloe

  Date of Review: September, 2018

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 3

  Room Rating - 5

  A very relaxing experience! I enjoyed the vegetarian meal provided as it was very fresh and good quality ingredients which were cooked and prepared in a traditional way. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and willing to offer suggestions for activities within Koyasan and other parts of Japan. One night was not enough - two would be ideal. Clean faciltiies. Location is not as convenient as other temples, however, it allowed for a more relaxed and quiet stay. Would recommend

• Nice place to stay with the family.

  Patrick

  Date of Review: August, 2018

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Netherlands

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Our family of 4 stayed here for 1 night in August. Really lovely experience. Quiet place. We had a large room with tv, towels, table and the beds were made and put away for sleeping. The shower is shared (no individual stalls) but clean and nice. Bathrooms are shared but very clean and have about 4 stalls so no problems with sharing. Very polite, helpful monks. We wanted to go to the cemetery night tour so to make it on time we were allowed to eat early which was nice (recommend to just walk the cemetery at night on your own at your own pace, and get the audio guide during the day rather than take the tour. You need to bus or walk therefore making dinner a bit rushed then return on a public bus and then need to walk 15 min on your own. Better to time it yourself and take the buses or walk.) The morning ceremony was only about 30 minutes which was great for the kids. The dinner and breakfast was nicely presented and they tried to accommodate the kids as best as possible (extra rice, etc. when needed). There is a Family mart 2 minutes walk away if you need anything. Bus stop right outside.just be sure to check the schedule. Highly recommended.

• Un séjour à ne pas manquer

  Gilles

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Nous avons passé une très belle journée. Trop courte malheureusement mais le temple est très agréable, l'accueil chaleureux et attentionné et le repas végétarien excellent. Le cimetière est à voir absolument. Attention : beaucoup de transferts (train ... metro ... bus) à prévoir pour arriver juqu'à Koyasan, partir tôt pour profiter du lieu.

• Wonderful experience

  Marko

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Croatia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The service was excellent. The rooms are very comfortable in a traditional japanese style. The breakfast and dinner were deliciuos.

• Very pleasant stay and experience

  Celine

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Beautiful experience at this peaceful Ryokan. Big, spacious and clean room. We were greeted very warmly at our arrival by a monk who spoke English. The bathing facilities are small but perfectly adapted to the size of this temple. It was actually far more enjoyable to stay at a smaller temple. Less crowded, calmer, more personalized approach. The meals were delicious and definitely above the standards you could (very naively) expect of a temple. The only improvement I could suggest is to have some sort of explanation and guidance through the morning prayer. Maybe a bit longer too. But overall we definitely had super pleasant stay.

• Comfortable temple stay

  Ravi

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Very nice and comfortable stay. Would definitely recommend and go there again. Very clean, comfortable and good food. There is even a mini onsen.

• An amazing experience

  Natacha

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Portugal

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  The best day and the most wonderful experience in Japan, throughout 16 days was the 24h spent in Koya-san. Loved Hoon-in because it was very clean, quiet and cosy. The persons who work there are very friendly too. Loved the dinner time and the praying time in the morning too. Recomend to go to the night tour in the cemetery.

• Charming and Accomodating

  Lisa

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Koya-San is a very lovely place and well-worth a visit. I would highly recommend staying 2 nights to allow yourself to relax a bit here. I did one night at Hoon-in and the other at a guesthouse across town (near the cemetery). Hoon-in was really a treat. While it is a little pricey, it is a special experience that i think is worth trying at least once. The monk that works with the guests is really kind and so helpful. At check-in, he confirmed my dietary restrictions and made sure they were considered during meal preparation which I believe is unique to this ryokan. My single room was very spacious and clean. It is cold at night (at least in March), but the heater is really powerful. The futon set up was the most comfortable I experienced in my 3 weeks in Japan. As others have mentioned, this is a much smaller temple than others in Koyasan (some are massive, beautiful buildings). However, this also means that there are not tour buses of people pouring in. In my case, there were only six people total which made for great conversation during meals. Speaking of which, the meals were wonderful and a true highlight! I loved being exposed to so many new things prepared in many different ways. The morning prayer is a beautiful experience and one that will not soon fade from my mind. Thank you, Hoon-in!

• Peaceful, charming temple in an extraordinary place

  Kelly

  Date of Review: October, 2017

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 3

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We loved this temple - beautiful, spotless traditional rooms; peaceful location; charming staff (who spoke good English). We found it so restful and restorative after the craziness of Japanese cities! Loved the onsen bathing arrangements. The food was memorable and interesting to try, though we wouldn't to eat it every day... (lots of tofu/pickled veg/algae....) Koya-San as a whole is a magical and memorable place. A highlight of our trip to Japan.

• Hoon in

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Spain

  Atmosphere Rating - 3

  Food Rating - 2

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 1

  Room Rating - 3

  I Don't like the experience in this ryokan. If the experience must be peaceful and the ryokan keeps their costums, is it logic to have a big tv in the room? We arrived at the afternoon and we had to stay there because dinner was at 18.30. So, when we finished, we couldnt go to the cementery because our ryokan was too far and ryokan close door at 9 pm. In adition, in this ryokan you can only have a shower in the afternoon. In the morning, it is not allowed. So, we had not enough time to have dinner, have a shower, Go to the cementery and arrive to the ryokan at 9 pm. We only were in Hoon in 1 night. So, the next day we have breakfast at 7 o'clock and when we arrive to our room after breakfast, 7.45 am, our futon had been picked up and kept in the wardrobe. I was in this ryokan for 15 hours and the price I paid was too high.I didn't like the experience in it. I am sure that in other, it had been better. So, I think that prices in this ryokan are rather high for lots of incovenients.

• Interesting experience and cordial staff for a high price

  Date of Review: August, 2017

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Italy

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 2

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 3

  It was very interesting to sleep in a monastery and try a different type of accomodation from what most people are usually accustomed to - something I definitely recommend. Having said this the food wasn't really of my liking (lots of algae, tofu and other particular little dishes), the rules were rather strict (early curfue and necessity to attend the morning prayer at 7AM), the showers really were not great and the price was rather high. Cordial and available staff, although not all of the monks/ other employees spoke English. Surprisingly rapid wifi and modern bathrooms (excluding the public showers)

• Beautiful, comfortable and heart-warming stay

  Matthew

  Date of Review: August, 2017

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  A peak experience in my travels through Japan (and through life in general). The monks were exceptionally friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere was very intimate and tranquil. To join the morning prayer services is a tremendous gift. To dine every night like a Buddhist king on traditional, high quality, Koyasan shojin ryori (temple vegetarian food) was beyond peaceful. And to rest and fall asleep in a spacious room, with a complementary pot of delicate green tea, surrounded by birds and lush gardens could not have been more relaxing. Thank you to all the wonderful people who made my time here so special.

• Quiet mountain temple

  Brett

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Hoon-in was a quaint and nice temple. Certainly not one of the bigger ones but the rooms were spacious enough and the food was quite good. It serves the traditional Buddhist monk vegetarian fare which was really good to have (except the seaweed, weird texture). There were only a few other guests besides my wife and I while we were there so it was very quite and uncrowded. The atmosphere of the place isn't much different from a usual ryokan, I was expecting a bit more...mysticism maybe? But still a nice place. The staff were friendly and the monk that showed us around spoke good English. Not having seen Buddhist prayers before, it was very interesting to see and hear them in the morning. I would have liked a bit of an explanation of what was being said or what/why was happening but it was still very serene and peaceful. The temple does have a curfew (9pm I believe) which in the summer when the sun sets late doesn't leave much opportunity to see the rest of Koyasan at night or do the night cemetery tour. It's quite close to one of the main temples where the bell and pagoda is and it's only about a 15 minute walk through town to get to the cemetery on the other side. Overall, a nice place to stay and would recommend but not having stayed in any other temples I can't say how different/same it is.

• Very interesting experience

  Julien

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Located on Mount Koya, at a walking distance from everything there is to see there, Hoon-in offers a very interesting experience. Since it is a Buddhist temple, you are served special vegetarian meals and can attend the morning prayer, which is a unique experience. There is nice and calm atmosphere, and the place is very comfortable and beautiful (not to mention that Koya-san is definitely a must-see in Japan). I would definitely recommend Hoon-in to those going to Koya-san.

• Great days

  Luca

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Italy

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Beautifoul place and great atmosphere, absolutely recommended.

• Review Hoon-In

  Jonna

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  Overall, really happy with experience. The staff was lovely and their English was very good. The food was really delicious and exceeded our expectations. Koyasan itself was definitely worth seeing. Should note that the rooms are traditional, so the walls are made out of thick paper, so needed to be mindful of neighbouring rooms - conversations can be heard.

• Lovely guest house

  Joanne

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  Very easy to find Hoon-in after bus drop off from station and close to many places of interest. Food was excellent and so beautifully presented. Staff were lovely and facilities immaculate. Room was comfortable and heater was good to warm it up. However I had a room on the ground floor near the entrance and next to dining room so it was very noisy early in the morning and late at night and the paper walls mean it is not dark at all so eye mask and ear plugs would be recommended. For that reason it was a bad nights sleep but still a lovely experience.

• Unforgettable Experience

  Michele

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Malaysia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a relaxing & enjoyable time in Hoon-In & Koyasan. The monastery was easy to find, & close to the bus stop. We were able to check-in early & our room was very clean & comfortable. Food at Hoon-In was absolutely delicious, whole new level of Japanese vegetarian food. Hoon-In was also nearby to famous shrines (walking distance away), so you don't waste time figuring out places to go. Hoon-In is Highly recommended!

• Very Good

  Meric

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Turkey

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I had a very pleasant stay at Hoon-in. I spent just one day and night at Mt. Koya, which was enough in my opinion. I arrived at around 10am to Hoon-in and could check-in and leave my belongings in my room already, even though it was before the check-in time. After visiting the beautiful cultural attractions of Mt. Koya, none of them were far away by the way and I walked to all of them, I headed to Hoon-in for the delicious vegetarian dinner. The dinner time was 6pm for everyone, and there was a curfew at 9pm, which was not a problem, since almost nothing is open in the night. The room was comfortable with a few useful furniture like a table and a couple of small statues. The floor was covered with tatami mats, and Yukata was provided to everyone to wear. The bed was a quite thick one placed onto the floor and was very comfortable. The restroom was very clean and the toilets high-tech. Regarding taking a bath, there were no private showers; it was onsen style, i.e. everyone takes showers in the same room (there were two rooms separated based on gender) naked, and there was a small hot tub as well. In the morning I visited the Buddhist service at 6:30am in the temple, which was an amazing experience. Afterwards, I had breakfast at 7am, again with everyone staying there. Both meals were vegetarian and a monk, who speaks English very well, explained all the various dishes to us. It is plenty of food, and if you do not feel full at the end, you can always request extra rice. The meals are served on trays and we ate while sitting on tatami mats on the floor. The payment is done at the very end, while checking out. Even though it was a bit expensive costing around 90 dollars per night, I got a single room, which was quite spacious, and it was an amazing experience, so it was worth it.

• Amazing

  Lisa

  Date of Review: April, 2017

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a very pleasant stay at Hoon-in. Unfortunately it rained on our first day but it was very relaxing in the ryokan. The monks English was very good and they are very welcoming. Mt Koya was a beautiful site to see, with lots of interesting temples and plenty of delicious food to choose from. I would highly recommend to any visitor.

• Amazing experience

  Chris

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The stay in the monastery was an amazing experience for us, from the traditional rooms, to the delicious and plentiful food and being allowed to observe the spiritual prayers in the morning. Koya is a pretty town, but March might have been a little early in the season to go there - we found it very cold when outside touring the temples.

• Hoon-in

  Patricia

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 3

  Our experience in Hoon-in was very nice, and the hospitality was excellent. I liked the food but not all members of my group enjoyed it so much, definitely think it's a good experience though! Hoon-in is located very close to the Daimon gate, and hiking trails, as well as other temples. It's on the other side of town from where the cementery is located, but it's only a brisk 30 minute walk away, definitely worth a visit! The downside is you can hear everything going on around the temple from your own room as walls are very thin. Definitely recommend for a night!

• Peaceful with warm hospitality

  Ulana

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Hoon-in is well located within walking distance of some of the key sights in Koyasan. As you stepped in from the street to the front door tranquility descends. Our room was large and had a smaller room adjacent to it where we were able to leave our luggage. The interior is very well kept and has beautiful woodwork and traditional screens throughout. The prayer room was stunning in its decoration and the morning prayers a nice way to ease into the day. In March it was rather chilly at Koyasan but we had a kotatsu and a heater in the room and the prayer room had a heated carpet. The heater kept the room warm and cosy. The toilet and bath facilities were also warm and clean. The food was simply outstanding and hard to believe that it was vegetarian. Beer and sake was available to accompany the dinner at an additional cost. Finally, the hospitality was very warm and english is spoken. For those who are concerned about vegetarian meals there are restaurants in town that serve non veg food.

• Peaceful with warm hospitality

  Ulana

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Hoon-in is well located within walking distance of some of the key sights in Koyasan. As you stepped in from the street to the front door tranquility descends. Our room was large and had a smaller room adjacent to it where we were able to leave our luggage. The interior is very well kept and has beautiful woodwork and traditional screens throughout. The prayer room was stunning in its decoration and the morning prayers a nice way to ease into the day. In March it was rather chilly at Koyasan but we had a kotatsu and a heater in the room and the prayer room had a heated carpet. The heater kept the room warm and cosy. The toilet and bath facilities were also warm and clean. The food was simply outstanding and hard to believe that it was vegetarian. Beer and sake was available to accompany the dinner at an additional cost. Finally, the hospitality was very warm and english is spoken. For those who are concerned about vegetarian meals there are restaurants in town that serve non veg food.

• A cozy little place with great hospitality

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  It was chilly inside, but that's to be expected given the nature of traditional Japanese buildings. Our room was cozy, the food was good, the hospitality great, and the bath was wonderful. It was a bit off the beaten path, but located next to a bus stop, which was good. Going to the morning prayer was nice too. All together a great experience!!

• Quietness

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  Everything you could expect of the old and traditional Japan Slow way , quietness , tranquility,calmness, serenity Food: a real Shojin Ryori Morning pray : a must

• Lovely service, quite and peaceful

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. I got there early and they let me use my room straight away. I had a lovely spacious room with the basics which were beyond my expectations. The hospitality is impeccable. The food was delicious and the surroundings were beautiful. Had the hot bath all for myself before dinner and morning prayer was a very interesting experience.

• Hoon-In, Koya

  Month of Visit: July

  Country Of Reviewer: US

  Atmosphere Rating - 2

  Food Rating - 2

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 3

  Room Rating - 1

  I struggled with this temple b/c of the dense dense odor of mildew or mold or both. My clothing was so saturated w/the smell that I had to wash all my clothes upon returning to Tokyo. I do not like saying that b/c the people there are LOVELY and Koya is nothing short of amazing. But honestly, the place is run-down w/stains on the shoji, dead insects on the stairs. There was one barely functional outlet in the room. But overall, the terrible smell is what sent me packing three days early. I felt badly about leaving. If you have any allergies, I cannot recommend this particular place. Sorry!! If you do not mind, walking, Hoon-In is on the far end of town by the Daimon Gate. The bus seems to run less frequently to that end of town as well.

• Unforgettable experience in Japan

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Portugal

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  This was our first stay at a temple ever, so we cannot really compare with other accommodations of this type, but this was a really nice, welcoming and pleasant stay. The staff was very kind and the food was superb, better than we expected regarding not only quality but quantity as well. It's really peaceful and highly recommended to stay one night at Koyasan to experience the surroundings, its temples and cemetery (please visit at night as well as during the day!) and Hoon-in is a great option.

• Hoon-in Mount Koya

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 2

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  Quiet, unless you have very chatty and loud guests below or above you. Ok, but not amazing, or nearly as I (quite mistakenly?) imagined it would be. More like a very basic business/guest house. The food was good, especially on the first day, and the young monk who greeted the guests was pleasant.

• Unforgettable experience

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Greece

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 3

  Room Rating - 5

  Very peaceful ryokan, with amazing cuisine and very warm hospitality.Hot bathtub(not in room). A place that you can empty your self and clear your mind. The only bad thing is the televisions that the rooms are equipped. So if your neighbor cannot spend a night without tv, you are forced to listen the sound until he falls asleep as the walls are from paper. It would be better if they were removed.

• Excellent place.

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Mexico

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The service was excellent, everybody in the Ryokan is very kind to help you in what you may need. The rooms are very comfortable in a traditional Ryokan. The breakfast and dinner are personally prepared an with very good quality and served in a Japanese way. If anyone wants to live a traditional Japanese experience, this is a very good place to do it. I believe it is very well located, even you need to walk a little to get to many interesting places.

• Very Enjoyable Stay

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Hoon-in is very conveniently located and we were pleasantly surprised by how cozy and peaceful it was. The hospitality was amazing and Hoon-in seemed to have attracted great guests too. Having visited a few temples, the morning prayers were hands down the best at Hoon-in. I would honestly go back to Hoon-in for many things, and the morning chanting is close to the top of my list. Food was amazing, and so was the service. Quick observation - other ryokans in the area looked a lot larger and you can see whole tour buses parked next to them full of guests. In comparison Hoon-in hosted a much smaller group of people making it that much more peaceful. Quite a few months after the stay, we keep remembering how great the monks and people running the Hoon-in were. Very pleasant experience! Note: For those of you who are worried about the language barrier, they spoke great English and we never had any issues communicating.