2019-10-01 Wanderlust

wanderlust.co.ukOctober 2019 37

ACCOMMODATION EXPLORE

T

heflamescrackledin

timewiththeslow,

melodicchantingofthe

Buddhistmonks.Itwas

5amanddarkoutside,

butthetallcandleslitthetemple’s

roominaneeriehalf-light.Thehead

monk,kneelingonaplatformand

dressedinflowinggoldrobes,lent

forwardtoaddanotherpieceof

woodtothefire.Astheflamesgrew,

sotoodidthechanting:surging

louderandfasteruntilitcrescendoed

inafrantic,furiousbeat.Andthen,

allofasudden,itwassilent.

Thisritual,designedtoexpel

negativedesires,takesplaceevery

morningatthe1,000-year-old

GyokuzoinTempleinNaraPrefecture,

andsomethingonlytheovernight

guestsgettowitness.Thisiswhat

stayingatashukubo–atraditional

templelodging–isallabout:peering

behindthecurtainatapartof

Japaneseculturefewothersgettosee.

Thebedroomarrangementsat

Gyokuzoinaresimple:yousleepas

themonkssleep,onafutonin

atatamiroom,withacommunal

bathhousethathassettimesformen

andwomen.Youalsoeatasthe

monkseat:abeautifullyrefined

vegetariandinnerandbreakfast,

usingseasonablevegetablesfromthe

mountain(althoughyoucanoptto

addmeatorfish).

Getthere

Flights with British

Airways

(britishairways.

com) connect

London to Osaka.

From Osaka, take

the JR Yamatoji Line

from Tennoji Station

to Oji Station

(620JPY/£5), which

takes 20 minutes.

From Oji, it’s a

15-minute taxi ride

to Gyokuzoin

Temple (around

2,000JPY/£16).

Thetemplecomplexclings halfway

upMountShigisan,abovethe city of

Oji,around 40 minutesfrom Osaka.

Thebuildingssprawlacross the

mountainside,connectedby paths

linedwithover2,000stone lanterns.

Youcanclimbanhourhigher, to the

mountain’speak,butjustwalking

aroundthecomplexisamagical

experience,asyouspytheswish of

amonk’srobes,orlistentothe sounds

ofthepulsatingforest.Atnight, as you

peeroverthevalley,it’shard to see

wherethelightsendandstars begin.

Staysinaprivateroomcost6,000JPY

(£47)perperson,or9,000JPY (£70) with

vegetariandinnerandbreakfast.

gyokuzo.com/english.html

ImmerseyourselfinJapaneseculturewithanightatthis

little-knownBuddhisttempleonMountShigisaninNara

DREAMSLEEP

Gyokuzoin Temple, Japan

Olivia Lee

25

Sleep like a monk

Stay in a simple, tranquil

temple environment