Koyasan Guest House Tommy

Room was very nice and had everything we needed for our stay in Koyasan. The next door cafe was delicious as well!

Tommy is arguably the best host and friendliest person in Japan. He will greet you, explain all the things you can do in Koya and give you a discount at his adjacent cafe.

The guesthouse is located in the middle of the village, which is great as there are points of interest at either side. Nevertheless, being sheltered from the "main road", it remains silent throughout the night (and I believe the day as well). The location is really great. The room is likely the best we've had in Japan, surely the "biggest" - not saying it's big for European standards, but you can move comfortably in it and there are no doubts it is human-sized (which I can't say for some other places) -, clean, nicely decorated and all that. Comfy beds, great shower. The staff is superfriendly and despite some language barrier, they managed to convey a lot of useful information about interesting things to do and see in Koyasan, which helped us change some plans to get the most out of our time there. (If you have any questions, they'll also be happy to help you.) The book at the entrance, with such activities advice is also a great initiative! (We did not have breakfast nor a snack at the annexed bar but it seemed lovely from the outside too. )

Thinking hard as I might I can't find something bad or that we did not like about the place. True, it's pricier than many places in Japan (we've spent less for 3 nights in Osaka than 1 here), but in Koyasan it is on the cheaper side (compared to temples: considerably). Other advice to the traveler (guesthouse-unrelated): - the guesthouse is best reached on foot, probably best to leave the car in some nearby parking lot and to the last 100m walking - if your eating hours are not in line with Japan's early schedule, plan your meals as in the afternoon (lunch) or after 8-9pm your options are reduced (Koyasan is pretty small after all).

The location was good but the signage was just a small sign so it was easy to miss.

The bed was uncomfortable and the room was very small. We had some difficulty storing our suitcases.