Koyasan Shukubo Shojoshin-in Dining Hall

The dining hall at Shojoshin-in, a shukubo temple lodging near Okunoin on Koyasan, serves shojin ryori, the Buddhist vegetarian cuisine that excludes meat, fish, and allium vegetables such as garlic and onion in accordance with monastic dietary precepts. The meal is built around gomadofu, a silken sesame tofu unique to Koyasan's temple cuisine, alongside seasonal vegetable tempura and goma-ae, greens dressed in a sesame sauce, with dishes changing through the year to reflect what is in season in the surrounding mountains. Dinner and breakfast are served only to overnight shukubo guests, in tatami dining rooms with a quiet, contemplative atmosphere consistent with temple lodging -- guests typically dine in yukata after an evening bath, and some temples offer the option to attend morning prayers before breakfast. There is no alcohol service in keeping with the temple setting. Reservations must be made through the Koyasan Shukubo Association well in advance, particularly during autumn foliage season and other peak periods, since shojin ryori dining is bundled with the overnight stay rather than offered as a standalone restaurant meal.