We thought we were booking a room with 2 single beds and a kitchenette, but we got 3 rooms: one with a low table and comfortable cushions, along with adjacent kitchenette; another with a lounge chair and lots of large comfy pillows on tatami mats, and the top floor--an open loft--with two double beds and another lounge chair. The decor was a combination of Japanese minamalism and 20th C modern--tres chic. The staff couldn't be nicer and my friend and I attended a Budhist ceremony, followed by a meditation class and then about 40 minutes of copying the Sutra. The priest who led the Budhist ceremony and meditation session spoke very good English and was excellent at communicating the central tenets of Budhism as well as placing the religion in the broader context of East/West cultural differences. I'm not religious but found this introduction to Budhism and Japanese culture fascinating. The hotel is very centrally located and the town itself charming, with traditional architecture, many restaurants and boutiques; and 15 minutes away by cab is the Hida Folk Village, which is not to be missed. I highly recommend staying at this temple/hotel.

What an unbelievable experience—truly one for the soul. I still have to pinch myself every time I think about staying in an actual temple, where our room opened right into the main prayer area. The beauty was beyond words: majestic, serene, and humbling in every moment. From attending a powerful prayer service and joining a meditation session to sipping miso soup and diving into traditional cooking, every detail felt sacred. We even took part in an underground immersion. Stay of a lifetime.

Nothing. But for whatever reason, I did think there would be monks staying at this temple with us. The only monk I saw throughout the day was the one who did our prayer and meditation session. He was outstanding.

Staff very friendly and helpful, clean room and shared bathroom/bath. We had to reserve our bath times but this was no problem and everyone shared the space well. We participated in the morning prayer session and also we did meditation session which was a great experience and something we will not forget.

Our room (Sakura) had a bad ‘eggy fart’ smell. This was explained by the kind staff who worked there as they had done a renovation of the tetami (flooring) and the smell is the glue used to stick the mats. However it was not a big deal as after a few minutes you could not smell anything

We absolutely loved the place. This was actually once of the places that we really want to come back to sometime in the future. Everything was perfect and even exceeded our expectations. The staff was super friendly, tentative to all the details. Temple itself, common areas and the room were very cozy and relaxing. The private bath, meditation and making personal scent were the activities that we tried and enjoyed so very much. It felt so good to escape Kyoto (we loved it, but it's a big and touristy city..) and calm down at least for a day. So this place met all these expectations. Thank you so much.

Everything was perfect.

Beautiful traditional Japanese room with tatami flooring and shoji doors that open up with wonderful views of a traditional Japanese garden. It was definitely our best stay during our Japanese trip and a true highlight. We were welcomed by the Buddhist monk on arrival and showed us around a shared kitchen/dining area fully equipped with tea and coffee. Our room included a washing machine which was very handy. Location was great - 7 minutes from Takayama station, 10 minutes from the old town and morning markets. Plenty of restaurants and stores around. We thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the prayer and meditation practice and the monk kindly explained the teachings of Buddha and the importance of being present. We highly recommend staying here!

Nothing! It was perfect perfect perfect.

Beautiful traditional rooms set in an old temple. We had a large suite with its own bathroom and effectively 3 other rooms (2 bedrooms and a dining area) for a family of 4. The facilities were super clean and beautifully presented, and the staff we met were just lovely and helpful. Think tatami mats, futon beds etc. The other thing that struck us was the amount of space, we never expected to stay somewhere so spacious in Japan. There are a number of experiences you can participate in as well, be sure to check them out! Probably no more than a 15 min walk to most sights in town.

If I had to criticise I’d warn people that it is cold in winter. Totally understandable being an old temple. We were comfortable as electric blankets were on all the beds and reverse air con and heating were provided. Maybe not the place for you in winter if cold bothers you.

This is one of the most unique places we have ever stated! The staff made us feel welcome and took time to offer us tea and share the history of the temple. The experiences they offered were so cool - our kids learned how to make onigiri and miso soup, and we participated in the meditation session. When we almost got stuck in town due to a canceled train, they offered to let us stay an additional night. We would stay here again in a heartbeat.

Nothing. It was peaceful, lovely, and welcoming.

We stayed in a family room, which was made up of two separate rooms connected by a corridor which had a lovely view of the garden. The rooms are a lovely blend of traditional Japanese (i.e. tatami mats, futon beds) and a more modern style (i.e. contemporary bathroom). The hotel itself is well located, being only a short walk away from all the main attractions and has on-site parking. I'd describe this place as being a temple that also has rooms, rather than a hotel that happens to be in a temple. The staff all spoke excellent English.

There was some building work going on at the property when we were staying, so it was quite noisy at times during the day.

A memorable stay in a beautiful temple in the heart of Takayama. We stayed in a lovely room overlooking the tranquil garden. The highlight of our stay was a meditation session the following morning. It was great to take part and learn more about Buddhism and meditation.

it would have been good to learn more about the temple’s history and daily life for the monks. it’s a shame that you had to pay extra for the meditation as the stay was already expensive. a great visit though.

This place is amazing, the staff is amazing, the experiences are amazing. The morning prayers are very suggestive and the breakfast cooking fun, they explain to you everything and they do it with nice smile and passion. Thank you to Mihoko, the monk and the host that helped me with the breakfast making Ryou (I don’t know if I spell it right) and the host from Hokkaido ( unfortunately I don’t know his name). It has been a real pleasure!