PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

If you don't mind the austerity of life in a temple (early to bed, early to rise), you'll like the tranquillity of this place. Located northwest of the Horikawa-Ternanouchi intersection in a pleasant, quiet neighborhood, Myorenji Temple was founded more than 700 years ago and is now run by a jolly woman named Chizuko-san, who speaks a little English. As she manages this place virtually single-handedly, she prefers guests who stay 2 or 3 days and requests that they make reservations at least a week in advance (a month in advance would be even better). The temple buildings, about 200 years old and containing several important cultural properties (including paintings from the Momoyama Period that you can see upon request), are beautifully laid out. Cherry blossoms bloom from October to April, and there's even a rock garden, laid out by the same priest who directed the construction of the gardens of Katsura Imperial Villa. Sleeping is in bare, simple tatami rooms, and because there are no bathing facilities on the temple grounds, you're given a ticket to use the neighborhood bath. Check in is from 5 to 7pm, doors are locked at 9pm, and services are held every morning at 6:30am.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Japan, 9th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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