Welcome to Senju-in. This traditional Buddhist Temple has welcome guests since the Edo period (1603 to 1868). Senju-in is located on the east side of the Mt Ikoma, between Osaka and Nara. There are 14 guest rooms available and none of the guest rooms have private baths or toilets. Senju-in is made up of two buildings, the Honkan which is a 2 story building and the Shinkan which is a 4 story building. From the Honkan guests will enjoy a garden view while from the Shinkan guest rooms have a mountain view. In this shukubo temple guest are served "Shojin-Ryori" (vegetarian Kaiseki) in the dining room. There is a morning prayer that starts at 6:00 am. As guests of the Senju-in you are invited to attend the prayer services. The prayer service is about 40 minutes long and is something you will remember for the rest of your life.

Warning:
-They are very strict about the check-in time which is no later than 16:00. Please be careful.
-They are closed on Sundays and Mondays

Facilities

Guest Photos:

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Ryokan Reviews:

• General

  Ewelina

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We were warmly greeted in the Senju-in. Traditional japanese room with garden view was incredible, the whole complex of temples is very beautiful and peaceful. We highly recommend to go up on the top to experience incredible view. The dinner and breakfast offered in the Ryokan was sumptuous - it can make you very happy if you like japanese cuisine. The morning ceremony was unique experience, however we did not have enough knowledge to feel it in full. Staying in Senju-in was amazing but it does require some knowledge about etiquette or general rules of behavior in the complex like this one, to be able to understand it and to be able to feel as if you were part of it.

• Amazing!!!!!!

  Roni

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Israel

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a wonderful stay in senju in. They were super nice, the ryokan was amazing, with the most beautiful view to the garden, and the Onsen was very nice. The atmosphere was really authentic and pleasant. The food - WOW!!!!!!! The best meals we had in the trip. The ceremony in the morning was a very special experience. We feel so lucky for this days, you MUST be there. In addition, Shigisan itself was an amazing place, and we arrived there easily with public transportation.

• Brilliant stay and excellent food

  Katie

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  We loved staying here. We received a warm welcome at the Temple from the staff, were taught origami and were able to see a Buddhist ceremony in the morning. The room is in a traditional ryokan style, spacious and comfortable. There is also an onsen. The food (both breakfast and dinner) was wonderful and generous in portions. It was easy to reach the temple by bus in approximately 20 minutes from Oji Train station (short distance train ride from Nara). There are other temples to visit nearby with beautiful views over Oji. Overall, this was our favourite place to stay in Japan and was peaceful and relaxing!

• Amazing!!!

  Kelly

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I can not express how amazing our stay at Senju-in was. The staff were gracious and helpful. The place was peaceful and absolutely beautiful. The fall leaf colors were spectacular. I would highly recommend this experience! Truly the highlight of my 2week stay in Japan!

• Amazing experience

  Joanne

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  Thank you very much! My son and I had a fantastic experience and will definitely stay again when he is much older. Fellow guests and staffs/Yamada welcomed us and made our stay very memorable. I highly recommend staying at Senju-in. Travelled Japan with a toddler

• Highlight of our Japan Trip

  Kelsey

  Date of Review: October, 2018

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: United States

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Everything about this stay was exceptional. RECOMMEND!!

• Just Okay

  John

  Date of Review: October, 2018

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 3

  Food Rating - 3

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 2

  We were excited to stay here. We arrived early and hiked up the mountain top, which was a good workout and interesting. There was really nothing else to do, since it was October, we were the only ones staying at the ryokan and we were basically on our own. Dinner was good if you like all vegetarian food, if you don't then pack a snack! The room was comfortable enough, but they left on the bright lights in the hallway "exit" signs all night so even with the paper doors shut the room was still far too bright. I suggest they either put dimmer bulbs in the exit signs or find a way to solve this, it's a big negative to the whole peaceful getaway feeling. The big draw was the early morning fire ceremony. We were promised it would take place at 6 AM, but when we woke early and arrived at the designated location, we were told there would be no fire ceremony that morning. The monks did chant and pray and with the sun coming up, it was neat to witness this firsthand. All in all, I would choose another day in Kyoto unless you have a few weeks to travel around.

• Unforgettable Experience

  Jessica

  Date of Review: August, 2018

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: U.S.A.

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  My husband and I spent one night at Senju-In during August, 2018. The experience couldn't have been better. We trekked by taxi from the Oji train station to the temple area (which has a number of places to stay) and were immediately welcomed by our hosts. It was a very hot day, and we were grateful that our Japanese-style room had an air conditioner. The temple grounds were unbelievable; guests are able to explore and hike through the grounds- even to the top of the mountain, if you have enough stamina. There are temple cats milling around the area, which I loved. We enjoyed a fantastic vegetarian dinner, practiced origami with our room neighbors and our host, had a great sleep, and had a once-in-a lifetime experience as observers of the morning Goma ceremony. We are so grateful to our friends at the temple for opening their home and worship space to us so generously. A few notes: there are clear and separate times for men and women to used the shared bath space in the evening. The hosts do a great job of guiding you through timings for bath use, meals, etc. when you arrive. If possible, try not to bring luggage with wheels; the hosts ask that you leave any such luggage in the entryway rather than taking it to your room, so as to respect the beautiful wooden floors of the space. Also, look for the man who makes and serves dinner- we loved his sense of humor and generosity! If you are a light sleeper, bring some earplugs- the room walls are beautiful and thin, and you might hear your snoring neighbor (a.k.a.- my husband). Finally, the bus station is an easy one to find at the very entrance to the temple area. There are several parking lots- you are looking for the first one. If you take a taxi, have the temple address ready to go for your driver in Japanese. We had an unforgettable experience at Senju-In and will be forever grateful to everyone there for all we learned and experienced.

• Amazing experience at Senju-in

  Laura

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  My friend and I arrived at Senju-in not knowing what to expect, tired and hungry. We were met with a warm welcome, hot tea, a lesson in origami and best of all a comfortable room with a lovely view. We had some lovely walks, amazing meals and a nice hot soak in the tub before having one of the best sleeps of our trip. In the morning we were pleased to participate in the morning prayer service as well as a fire ceremony. I recommend this experience and would go back - one of the highlights of our trip to Japan.

• Unique experience

  Mario

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Italy

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  Easy stay next to Nara. We (4 people) were unique guests that day!The staff was very kind (despite the people don't speak english), meals were very good and over our expectations. The same for the athmoshere you are involved along the small roads around in the garden with many small lights all around. Very interesting the morning ceremony. I recommend this place if you want to try a temple stay and the intimity after the sounds, lights and life of big cities!

• A highlight

  Annemarie

  Date of Review: September, 2017

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: The Netherlands

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Our stay in Senju-In exceeded any expectations. What a beautiful place, quiet, lovely. We walked all around the complex, even to the top. Be sure to make time for this! Also, the monks tried to explain all, which helped us to understand more of their culture and lifestyle. They were just so kind to us. The morning ceremony also was very special, we are just superthankful for this visit. To be honest, this visit was way out of our budget-league. But, the stay in Senju-in was definitely worth it. And, when you leave, be sure to drink a coffee at the cafe behind the busstop.

• Fantastic experience

  Nicole

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  A great stay in this place next to Nara. The staff is very kind with customers (despite the fact people don't speak english very well), meals are very delicious and it's very interesting to see the morning ceremony. The evening, you can visit the temple and the garden and it's very beautiful. I recommand this place if you want to try a temple stay !

• Best Stay!

  Wei ting (Ariel)

  Date of Review: August, 2017

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  My highlight of a two week trip! This is a must visit for those looking to heal and hide away from the tourist rush. An easy train and bus hop from Nara, my travelling companion could only marvel at the magnificent Shigisan when we arrived the foot of the mountain. Much larger in scale than initially expected, the ambience of the temples scattered throughout the entire mountain were breathtaking. The monks at Senju-in Temple were extremely welcoming. The stay was clean, comfortable and serene. The dinner vegetarian meal was my FAVOURITE meal of the entire trip (I'm not vegetarian!). Guests could sign up for an evening guided tour if the weather holds up with the monk. After dinner, since the weather was not good, the female monk taught as how to make origami :D Join the morning sermon if you can get up -it's a worth the experience! :)

• Fantastic stay

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Our stay at Senju-in was memorable. Beautiful traditional bedroom with a view on the garden. Delicious vegetarian dinner and breakfast. The morning ceremony was a rare moment. The welcome was warm and friendly. We were lucky to be the only guests at the moment of our stay.

• A wonderfull experience

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: Italy

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I was travelling with my 16yo daughter and we decided to stay one night at this temple during our short one week journey trough Japan. Was a very good choice! The temple is located on a beautiful mountain not so far from Nara and as the only guest we could experience a very warm welcome from all the monks. Our room was comfortable and the food fantastic! We were also kindly invited to attend the very early morning pray and the fire ceremony: unique experiences that I reccomend anybody to do !

• June 2014

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: Italy

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  I stayed at Senju-in during a weekend in June 2014 with some friends. We reached the site with some difficulty, as we had to change train in Oji and then reached the monastery by bus, which is the only one going from Oji station to Shigizan. Though we were welcomed very warmly and the chief priest was really kind and friendly. As we arrived around midday, we could see a very solemn Buddhist cerimony with many other Japanese guests who were there for the celebration. After that we had time to see the site, with its many temples, and the lake, where we had lunch in a traditional restaurant over the lake; after that we went again exploring the site and got back, we were then invited to a beautiful and delicious dinner, where we were the only guests together with a Japanese man. After dinner we had another stroll among the temples, following the many paths up and down the hill. On the following day we had to get up at 4.30 a.m. to see the morning celebration, which was completely dedicated to us, as the only guests of the monastery. The chief priest called out our names during the mass and gave us his special blessing, which accompanied us during our further stay in Japan. The guest rooms are traditional tatami rooms with futons, there is also a beautiful Japanese garden behind the main house. English is spoken only by the chief priest and some more two or three monks. A beautiful weekend with the flavour of a tradional Japanese experience.

• Priceless

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Brazil

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I chose Senjo-in because it was the closest to my tourist route in the region of Kyoto and Nara, and because it is also a temple. All my expectations about location and experience of staying in a temple were met, but the best part was undoubtedly the team, comprised of monks and some employees. Really special people, very interested in providing us with the best experience possible without losing the authenticity of the place, which is truly a temple. it was the best night of the whole trip, and I will be forever grateful to those people for the affection afforded to me and my friends. What a special place! What a special people!

• A wordless experiment at the temple.

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Czech republic

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  It's been 1 year now that me and my brother we were at the Senju-In. It's a late review but we really wanted to thank our hosts and testify about a wordless experiment at the temple. First of all, it's necessary to mention that is not only one temple but a "complex" of many other temple in a valley. It's possible to enjoy there many things as the torii's way to the top of the valley, the echos of the buddhists drums in the valley when closing the temples, the hundreds of lampions all switched on by night and the nature taking place, a fire ceremony and some blessing directly otriented to the guests ... a mystical atmosphere that made that trip in Japan an exceptional experiment. As mentionned in the other reviews, the monks with a warm hearth welcomed us, the dinner was for us the best japanese meal we had during our stay (and we were always were happily satisfied everywhere), the bedroom gave us an authentic opportunity to sleep in a japanese way (even with Japanese Pyjamas provided). There was also the chance to use a small japanese spa bath in the Ryokan. Me and my brother we are warmly thankful to Japanese Guest Houses and to Senju-In of have lettins us the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful place. It's for us an unforgettable moment of our first trip in Japan. We hope to return at the Senju-In one day. Extremely recommended!!! I would like also post some pics that I enclose here, if you are interested in. I'm really sorry for my very late review. I'm really (still after 1 year) grateful to you and to the Senju-In for this wonderful moment we had, i hope to be repeated one day.

• A real treasure

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  First off we'll simply say that visiting Senju-in is a must; it is an absolute treasure that will enrich anyone's visit to Japan. With that in mind, I'll describe our visit which hopefully is useful... Senju-in is in a temple complex on a mountain-side about 30 minutes outside of Nara. Getting there from Osaka, Kyoto or Nara is super simple - JR train to Oji station (15 minutes from Nara, only slightly more from Osaka). From the station a cab will whisk you the rest of the way (about 15 minutes, about 2000 yen). Anyone should be able to get here easily. Upon arrival you'll begin to see how the descriptions and photos don't do justice. You'll be dropped in a small industrial parking lot, and your next step will be through a Japanese gate, up a hill past endless rows of lanterns and gates and you've magically arrived in another century. Senju-in is but one of the many, many temples in the complex. The team at Senju-in will welcome you in the most gracious way possible, show you to your Japanese-style room and do their utmost to communicate despite limited English. You'll then wander the complex for a while - with the most intimate Japanese temple experience you'll have during your whole trip - before heading back for dinner. Dinner was a massive Japanese set menu. We were literally bursting from the fabulous dinner. (Note, it was definitely not wholly vegetarian - there was a bit of fish at dinner, and some fish and ham with breakfast.) This alone was amongst the best meals we had in Japan. After dinner it's bath time, and it's a full Japanese-style bath. Scorching hot. Nice. Then bed down on your futon, ready for an early rise. Before dawn it's time to get up to join the fire ceremony, in which you'll participate. After the ceremony we wandered the grounds with one of the monks, and got an even more intimate view of some of the temples. All of this pre-dawn activity takes place with other ceremonies wafting through the air, with chanting, bells and drums filling the silence. Then it's breakfast time, another wander then check out. This may seem like a utilitarian review, but simply attach 5 stars to each of the elements and you get more perspective. It's a truly unique experience in the world, intimate, lavish, simple, soul-enriching, Japanese, etc. (FWIW, "we" were husband and wife and 11 year old daughter, who put it at the very top of her list of best-of-Japan.) This is the most intimate insight you'll get into ancient *and* modern Japan. Everyone should go.

• Highlight of the Tour of Japan

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We, 3 mature aged couples were luck enough to stay the night of 22nd, October at Senju-in. We were lucky enough to find a lady at Oji bus stop who was visiting Shenju-in. As I made the booking I warned others not expect too much prior to our arrival at Shenju-in. But,it was the highlight of our tour and beyond our imagination. Chief Abbott and other male and female monks were great hosts. We had a tour of the temple after dinner and the temple was so beautiful and serene with so many lanterns and shrines.Rooms and the garden in front were unforgettable.As all the other comments the dinner and b'fast was great. We attended the prayer next morning and toured the other parts of the temple with a monk. It was a great experience no one should miss. Asoka

• A Must Visit !! by Rachid Alexander

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: The Netherlands

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  This is a must visit place if you really want to have tranquility and like the serene atmosphere that Japan is wel known for. the location outside the traffic area although Oji is a really quiet city is excellent. for people who like meditation or are searching for a spot to hide away and recharge this is the place. the food is amazing and you can taste that it has been prepared with such love. the welcoming board for you will see when you arrive is so welcoming that you already feel embraced by the staff. they don't speak much of english but they understand every request. lovely to walk around the area. beautiful and cozy temples. I was really nice that the monks invite and let you participate in the ceremonies. the entire place becomes enchantingly beautiful when it rain. as if you are high in the skies. Oji is also really near to Nara en Osaka Namba. I really did enjoy my stay here and I'm so looking forward to stay here again.