Zenkoji Temple Yakuoin

酒店離善光寺步行很近，早上6：30上早課是個很特別的體驗。 交通：離長野站過一條馬路，去市內的大巴都在站口（善光寺是1和7都可以，我坐的1號更近，下車前買票），下車後步行幾分鐘就能到酒店。 酒店服務：我們去的當晚有一位日語服務員，當中有事情比較難找到人。 酒店餐飲：我們定了一泊二食，雖都是素齋，但味道意外好。另外給女兒點了葡萄汁，米色的味道特別。 酒店設施：宿坊設施不能要求太高，儘量不要帶行李來，我們住的三樓的日式房間，如果帶了行李要自己從樓梯拎上去會很吃力。插頭：沒有USB,請自己帶足兩眼插頭；衞生間：僅設在一樓，房間無，住樓上需要每次跑下來；盥洗：僅在一樓衞生間和靠近男湯一側，比較簡陋，不設洗面和護膚用品。房間雖然有空調和煤氣爐，但總體温度不大，有點冷，但意外的是榻榻米鋪很暖和，特地看了下原來是西川的羽絨被。酒店晚上9點基本就宵禁了。 寺廟觀光：酒店裡購買善光寺1200的通票，早上6：30有志願者帶領去寺廟上早課，作為一次體驗很不錯，但提醒要穿暖和一點，聽誦經時間有點長，我就是凍得腳痛。志願者大概8點半結束，回酒店早餐後可以自行再前往善光寺買御守和參拜。正廟對直出來的街上有很多紀念品和飲食，以及星巴克，如果不是很累，可以走回長野。 我們早餐後返回寺廟碰到了大雪，感覺非常好，祝大家旅行愉快。

Awkward is the word I would use to describe our recent stay, I understand this isn’t a hotel, and hotel service should not be expected. However, given the price differential between staying at a traditional stay such as Yakouin, and staying in a similar, self-served AirBnB, I don’t think the price is justified. Better explanations about the service, including having a welcome sheet in English would be a great start, as this place is listed on international travel sites, it’s important to make international travellers feel welcome in the stay. Was also disappointed to see Foreign guests had to pay a deposit for the room, but noticed Japanese guests didn’t have to pay a deposit.

This place is ~5mins walk from Zenkoji temple. neighborhood is peaceful at night. Shoes to be removed outside the accommodation. Rooms are on the 2nd floor so you'll have to carry your luggage up (there's no lift). Room (with window) is huge. You'll have to head downstairs to use the shared toilet and shared onsen (no toilet inside the room). We were only allowed 30mins of onsen time for 2 pax - couples weren't allowed to use the onsen concurrently so we had to go one after another (i'm not sure if the instructions got lost in translation..). Felt very rushed so i didnt really get to enjoy the onsen experience, but overall was nice and clean. Interesting 6.30am tour around the area and within the temple itself, followed by a simple vegetarian breakfast (porridge with omakase-styled sides with miso soup) back at the accommodation. The morning tour lasted from 6.30am - 8.30am. The accommodation provided a fleece blanket to each pax to bring to Zenkoji temple to keep us warm during the morning praying ceremony. We went on 30 Dec and it was SO COLD. Overall interesting experience but accommodation price is pretty steep IMO.