Experience Ancient Japanese Traditions and Beliefs with a Private Tour of a 1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima led by a Temple Monk

Visit a 1200-Year-Old Temple in the Forests at the Foot of Mt. Misen

As you approach Daisho-in for the first time, you will be greeted by an imposing wooden structure standing tall between the trees. This is the main entrance gate, the Niomon, which is a stunning work of classic temple architecture constructed entirely of Japanese zelkova wood. Take a moment to stop and appreciate its intricate detailing and woodcarving, including the two guardian king statues (Nio) that give the gate its name.

A monk from Daisho-in, the guide for your private tour of the temple grounds, will be there to meet you in front of the gate. Prior to the beginning of your tour, he will lead you to a tearoom called the Shosei-an. A welcome drink of sayu, hot water thought to aid in digestion and circulation, provides a warm welcome to your temple experience.

Take a Private Tour of the Grounds, Guided by a Temple Monk

Feeling relaxed after your welcome drink, you will next embark upon your tour of Daisho-in led by one of the temple’s monks. As you walk through the expansive grounds between the different temple buildings, the monk will explain the temple’s history, which is traditionally believed to have begun with its founding by the great Kobo Daishi in the early ninth century. He will also discuss the nature of worship at Daisho-in and the temple’s tradition of mountain worship that is a common spiritual practice across Japan.

As a special Wabunka exclusive, the tour will include a visit to the Reihokan Treasure Hall, a building that contains many of Daisho-in’s most cherished items. This is a rare privilege, as the hall is normally off-limits to visitors. Out in the grounds, you will also witness a dramatic spectacle as the temple’s waterfall is swathed in a wreath of fog. This portrays the phenomenon known in Japanese as unkai (cloud ocean) when mountaintops are wreathed in clouds as if they are islands in the sky. This cloud ocean occurs sometimes atop Mt. Misen.

Refresh Yourself Mind and Body with a Formal Prayer Ceremony and Zazen Seated Meditation

Your tour will conclude with a formal prayer ceremony inside the Manniden Hall, led by a monk from the temple. During this ceremony, known as go-kito, the monk will perform various rites and chant certain phrases to express gratitude and evoke divine protection, purification, and assistance. Sit back and take in the moment as you experience this ancient sacred Japanese ritual.

Following the go-kito prayer ceremony will be a zazen seated meditation in the Kannon-do Hall. During zazen, practitioners focus on their posture and breathing to provide the necessary time and space for the body, heart, and mind to become still, connected, and focused. The monk leading the meditation will provide guidance to guide you throughout this experience. While the classic zazen posture involves sitting in the cross-legged lotus position, but if the required flexibility makes this difficult, the monk can suggest alternative sitting positions or a chair can be arranged.

Enjoy a Moment of Quiet Contemplation in an Authentic Teahouse

Rejuvenated and enlightened, you will then follow a monk to the Shosei-an. This teahouse, constructed in line with the teachings of the Urasenke school of the tea ceremony, is not normally open to members of the public. Inside, you will be served matcha tea with Japanese sweets.

What makes this tea ceremony even more special is the fire that burns in the candle beside you all the while. This glowing flicker is taken from the Eternal Flame in the Reikado Hall atop Mt. Misen. Tradition holds that this fire has been kept burning for 1,200 years as a sacred symbol since the time of the great Kobo Daishi. As you sip your tea, enjoy a conversation with the monk, asking any questions you might still have about the history and beliefs that surround the temple, the mountain, and the island.

Receive a Special Personal Memento of Your Visit to the Temple

Throughout Japan, there are many famous pilgrimage routes involving visits to multiple temples. Daisho-in itself is the 14th temple of 33 on the Chugoku Sanjusan Kannon Pilgrimage. As evidence of their pilgrimage, temple visitors began long ago to write Buddhist sutras by hand, which were stamped in red ink with the temple’s own uniquely designed goshuin seal.

As a poignant personal memento of your visit to Daisho-in, you will be presented with a special certificate featuring a message written in beautiful calligraphy from the deputy chief monk (exclusive to Wabunka) that has been stamped in red with Daisho-in’s goshuin seal. Take it home with you to remember this day on Miyajima, when you too became a part of Japan’s longest-standing tradition of pilgrimages to important temples and shrines.

To experience the temple of Daisho-in in even greater depth, Wabunka also offers three additional options that you can add to this plan. The first gives you the opportunity to enter the temple at 7:30 AM, before the main gate opens, to begin your day with a private morning tour that includes a light meal of okayu (rice porridge) and a private viewing of the waterfall wreathed in fog. Other available additional options include a goma fire ritual or traditional shojin ryori vegetarian meal.

*Please note that if you wish to take the morning tour, you cannot select both the "Goma Fire Ritual" and "Shojin Ryori" at the same time.

*If you choose the morning tour, the tour starts at 7:30. There are no buses or taxis on Miyajima Island available at this time, so we recommend staying the night before and walking to the temple.