Spend ¥40,000 to Sleep at a World Heritage Site Overnight: Kyoto Opens 5 Ancient Temples to Travelers

▲ Tenryu-ji Temple in Kyoto. (Photo / from Wikimedia Commons)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

With the number of visitors to Japan increasing year by year, Kyoto has opened five normally off-limits temples in the city to allow travelers to deeply experience traditional Japanese culture by actually staying overnight in historic temples. However, the cost per night is steep — each person must pay ¥150,000 (approximately NT$43,650), which includes dinner and translation services.

According to Japanese media reports, this temple lodging program offers a choice of five temples, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Eihei-ji sub-temple Yongmyo-in of Tenryu-ji, the _Daisho-in temple (partially obscured), the _Ryuan-ji temple (partially obscured), the Shigetsu-in temple (partially obscured), and the Kyo-o-gokoku-ji temple (partially obscured).

Each temple accommodates only five guests per day and provides bedding and toiletries. In addition to staying overnight in an ancient temple, guests can also enjoy cultural experiences such as Buddhist sermons, Zen meditation, and tea ceremonies.