Shukubo

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Shukubo are temple lodgings in Japan that let you stay overnight inside a Buddhist temple. They started for monks and worshippers, but many now welcome regular tourists because the number of monk visitors has dropped. Some places, like Mount Kōya, even have outdoor baths and hot springs. Today shukubo are often semi-secular, and in some towns they’re the only type of lodging available. Historically, they served practitioners of Shugendō and mountain worship, helping these traditions grow. During the Edo period, pilgrimages to temples and shrines became popular, and lodging houses were built at major sites to accommodate travelers, creating a kind of temple-based tourism. In modern times, some shukubo have become traditional inns or ryokan to give visitors the feel of staying in a temple. Many are run by families whose ancestors started the shukubo for religious purposes, and opening to the public has brought many more guests.