Our Story
About Templestay Japan
Templestay Japan is a curated resource dedicated to helping international travelers discover and book authentic Buddhist temple stays (shukubo) across Japan. We focus exclusively on temple lodging โ no hotels, no hostels โ because a shukubo stay is one of the most spiritual and unforgettable experiences Japan has to offer.
Why We Built This
Finding the right shukubo as a foreign traveler can be challenging. Many temple websites are only in Japanese, and it's difficult to know which welcome international guests, offer English-speaking monks, or accommodate dietary needs like shojin ryori. We bridge that gap.
Our Approach
Every temple is handpicked. We provide filters that matter to international travelers:
- English-friendly monks and staff
- Buddhist sect (Shingon, Soto Zen, Tendai, etc.)
- Zazen meditation and Goma fire ceremony availability
- Shojin ryori (vegetarian Buddhist cuisine)
- UNESCO World Heritage temples
Booking
We partner with Stay22, Trip.com, Klook, and Viator. When you click a booking link, you're taken directly to the temple's reservation page to check availability. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Meet the Founder
Rio Horikawa
I'm Rio, a Tokyo-based traveler who has spent the last decade exploring Buddhist temple stays across Japan. I built Templestay Japan because I struggled to find clear English-language information about shukubo when I first started.
Of the 53 temples featured here, I've personally stayed at 18. The rest are vetted through interviews with the temple's English-speaking staff and cross-referenced with verified Booking.com guest reviews.