Alternative to Koyasan
 

Hi everyone!
We are a couple in our thirty’s who love to travel and experience countries through its food and its culture. We like slow travel and don’t like rushing to see all the tourists musts. We rather sacrifice a place or two than to just tick things from checklists.
We will be going to Japan on the first two weeks of November for 2 weeks. This is roughly our itinerary:
November 1. Arrive to toky, take train to Kyoto
Day 2,3,4 visit Kyoto’s sights
Day 5 day trip Nara
Day 6 Go to Arashiyama and stay in a Riokan
Day 7 Leave for Mount Koya and spend the night at Koyasan Syukubo Kumagaiji
Day 8 Leave for Hiroshima, stay 2 nights in Hiroshima
Day 9 visit Miyajima
Day 10 Finish sightseeing in Hiroshima and leave for Tokyo
Day 11-14 Tokyo
Day 15: Leave for home

My question is, if Koyasan is worth the long trip just for an overnight stay. I’ve read in some threads that people found Koyasan to be overly touristy and very crowded and did not find the experience special. I am worried that the experience will feel like a tourist trap, but on the other hand I have read reviews about Koyasan’s beauty and what a great time people had staying in temples. I don’t mind traveling the distance or paying for the temple stay, but I would just want to get a more “real” experience.
What is your opinion? Should we go to Koyasan? If not, do you have any alternatives for that trip? We would like to experience some of rural japan so any suggestions would be welcome!
Thank you so much for your help

I thought Koyasan a highlight of a highlight-filled trip! From my perspective, it was worth every bit of the trip, which actually includes some stunning scenery. That said, I believe one's choice of temple makes a huge difference -- the ONLY negative comments I have heard about a stay in Koya-san were from those who did not reserve one of the temples that doesn't get top reviews. I stayed at Shojoshin-in, which still gets great reviews. The only other temple for which I have heard consistently positive comments is Eko-in. Of course, that doesn't mean that those are the only worthy temples, but I would research your options carefully.

If I may offer another comment: Miyajima is, I believe, much more delightful in the absence of daytrippers, so you might consider spending a night there rather than in Hiroshima. And depending on your interests and specific plans, you might not need a second night in Hiroshima. I got there in late morning and visited the A-Bomb Dome, Peace Park, and Peace Museum at a leisurely pace before heading to Miyajima, which I reached in plenty of time for a ryokan stay there.

For something a bit more rural, you could visit Ohara outside of Kyoto as a half-day trip or more....

Kja!
Thank you for your quick answer. I tried to book your suggested temples for Koyasan, but apparently november is a popular date and everything was booked. So i looked in tripadvisor and looked for a temple which did not have any bad or terrible reviews and went for it....

Thank you about the suggestion of spending the night in Miyajima, I also tried booking there but all the nicer ryokans and hotels were highly booked. From your suggestion I decided to give it a try and booked the B&B Sakuraya, it doesnt seem very luxurious but I think it will do the job. Where did you stay in Miyajima?? maybe I can try looking for some other places, but for now we have reserved Sakuraya.

For Koyasan, you might also want to do some research on japaneseguesthouses.com

While on Koyasan, be sure to visit Okuno-in, particularly around dusk or dawn (or both) -- and don't rule out a daytime visit!:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4901.html

In Miyajima, I stayed at Momiji-so, another place that still gets great reviews. But it's small and books up soon, so don't be surprised if it isn't available.

I stayed in Auberge Watabe (which, despite the french aspect of it's name, is a family run traditional ryokan). Superb location, charming hosts, great food, lovely room. I have had several friends go there since and also love it!

(On Miyajima)

When you go to to Koyasan can make a huge difference as well. Peak times will certainly make it feel more touristy. There are not a lot of places like it in Japan - perhaps Dewa Sanzan, but that means a lot more hiking to get the full experience, and of course there still are notable differences.

I totally agree that Miyajima has a totally different atmosphere in the morning or evening. That said, accommodations are higher there as well. Everyone basically stampedes for the Itsukushima Shrine as soon as they get off the ferry, but if you have the time, I recommend you find out when both low and high tides are there and go twice (you only pay to walk through the shrine, not go on the beach to the giant torii). The Daishoin Temple is also a must.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...KGUB-HPKNxP10Q

If you have the chance, seeing Iwakuni just south of Miyajima is also highly worth it.
https://youtu.be/0COOZXi66mM

Don't forget also if you have the energy, after the temples and shrines in Kyoto close about 5 PM, you can still go to see Osaka or Kobe for the evening.

Keep checking on availability for lodging. It is early. For example, the availability calendar for Momijiso only goes out to September at this point (at the gambo-ad site).

It is good that your Koyasan and Miyajima dates are weekdays as it should be less crowded or uncrowded.

A good tip for Japan is: cities on the weekends and country on weekdays.

IME, many shrines in Kyoto and elsewhere were open 24/7. The temples have closing hours, though, and one would be wise to plan accordingly.

Thanks everyone for your great tips!!! I'll try to reserve a little closer to my dates, maybe thats why everything looks booked because its still no available to reserve.
Thank your for all your help!!!

I agree with kja, Koyasan was the highlight of a highlight filled trip. I found it much less touristy than Miyajima, but enjoyed that as well. Walking through Okunoin Cemetery at twilight as the lanterns come on is magical.

Russ, I am here at Hotel Mume. Hisako started a story about her father and I couldn't resist sharing your story about her telling you that she is "Daddy's princess". She laughed and said she remembered you and your partner.

PS-the cherry trees along the canal behind Hotel Mume are approaching full bloom (big boquets of white flowers) and are gorgeous!

I'm so jealous of you right now! Please tell her hello from us. Hoping to get there again next year. We were there exactly a year ago. Enjoy the sakura!

@ MinnBeef: I'm raising a glass to your trip -- enjoy! :-)

@ aililup: Please forgive the digression!

Great tip mrwunrfl about weekdays and weekends. More so during our upcoming Golden Week adventure...

Aloha!

@ailiup-yes, thank you for your indulgence. I will be visiting Koyasan on Thurs. evening and staying at Shojoshoin. I will post a review.

@kja-thank you!

@russ_in_la: Hisako was touched and remembers both of you fondly. She hopes to see you again soon. And PS-I attended the Miyako Odori yesterday. It is being held at Kyoto University this year due to earthquake readiness work being conducted on the Gion theater. It was FANTASTIC!

@MinnBeef So great!!! I will be very happy to read your review!!!

Settled in for a second night here at the Hotel Trusty in beautiful Kanazawa, following in Russ' (and kja's??) footsteps.

Anyway as promised, my thoughts on Koyasan. I'm going to offer a bit less enthusiastic review vs. those of kja and Russ, although I still liked it. Just didn't love it, nor will it be a trip highlight for me.

Pros;
1. A chance to get out of the cities and the associated crowds
2. The clean mountain air
3. The unique aspects of visiting the Okunoin cemetery.

Cons:
1. The time to get there (2.5 hours from Nara) and away again
2. The temples and shrines, while nice, we're not really any differs to my eyes than the many Inhad already seen on this trip (or my previous trip. )
3. The rusticity of staying in a temple and the associated vegan meals. Like kja (and Russ??), I stayed at Shojoshoin-in. The monks were very kind and the morning prayer service kind of cool. But there are no locks on the tatami rooms so one has to often carry their valuables with them. (There is an in room safe but it wasn't large enough to hold a $200 sashimi knife I had bought). Also, the communal baths are only open in the evening and I really missed the ritual of morning bathing.

In the end, I'm glad I went but I wouldn't go back. If you have your heart set on going, or are planning to already be in that area say, to visit Nara, then go for it. But if not, I wouldn't make a special trip.

As kja would say. YMMV.

I am another who was not as enthusiastic as I expected about Koya-san, although I very much enjoyed the trip to get there.

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...e-at-koya-san/

I'm sure my impression was colored by the fact that we stayed in a hanare at Shojoshoin-in, which is a free standing building with its own wooden tub (the regular rooms were sold out). The accommodation you choose will play a large role in your impressions of the experience. The location also allowed us to go through okunoin cemetery while it was light, and again after dark. For me, this was the highlight of the area, and vastly different than anything else we did in Japan. The temple in the cemetery with "1000 lanterns" was really worth the 2km walk to get there.