A truly traditional Japanese temple dinner experience: Ekoin Temple (12. March 2020)
When you visit Koya-san, I can definitely recommend you to stay in a temple run by monks (there are many up there) like the Ekoin Temple. The whole concept is that you basically stay in a way Japanese people (and monks especially) live(d). So, you cannot wear outdoor footwear inside, you are sleeping in one of these things where they have paper walls and there isn’t really a lock to anything. Which is all in all a very interesting concept but frankly not something I need to do for a number of days.
The “dinner experience” which is part of the booking/ experience was a pleasant one, even though it’s vegetarian only (they do not consume any meat) it was delicious as you get everything from rice to a small udon noodle soup, pickled vegetables, something sweet, a miso soup, etc.
Sitting in a lotus seat isn’t really something I could do for long but else, the whole dinner experience was definitely a pleasant experience I can recommend to anyone who visits Koya-san. Also, when you stay there, you should definitely do the Night Cemetery Tour as it is an impressive sight at night and provides you with interesting insights of how Japanese people traditionally buried their dead.
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Contact Details:
Ekoin Temple
497 Koyasan
Ito District, Wakayama
648-0211 高野町 Koya-san (JP)
Tel.: +81 736 56 25 14
Fax: +81 736 56 28 91
Homepage: http://www.ekoin.jp
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
