There is a luxury in doing nothing. A night spent in a Kannon-in guest room is the antithesis of a packed itinerary. High-quality furnishings and profound stillness. It's a stay where you are enveloped in the craftsmanship of Kiryu, a "town of makers," and simply return to your own breath in quietude.
Guest rooms enveloped in Kiryu's craftsmanship
The guest rooms are furnished to reflect Kiryu's history of weaving and dyeing. Washi tatami mats, a subtle scent of wood, and shoji screens facing the courtyard. The furniture is handcrafted by Kiryu artisans. The chairs for viewing the courtyard are intentionally low—"We really want guests to enjoy the garden while sitting seiza-style, but that's difficult. So we proposed low chairs so they can view it from a lower posture than usual," says furniture craftsman Yusuke Yotsutsuji. They are arranged to allow you to face the garden directly, at a similar eye level to sitting seiza. No two cushions have the same pattern. Kannon-in's spirit of valuing diversity is reflected in each piece of fabric.
The theme of "water" and a private open-air bath
The theme of the temple lodging is "water." Public relations manager Kai Tsukimon says, "Just as you purify your hands with water when entering a temple, we want this to be a place where both body and mind can be cleansed." The private open-air bath facing the rock garden is the most serene embodiment of this theme. Immerse yourself in the hot water and gaze at the garden's stones and greenery. You'll be enveloped in such profound stillness that even the sound of a single drop of water dripping from the bamboo spout reaches your ears.
The luxury of a day with no plans
Your day begins at 6 AM by joining the morning service. Everyone is welcome. During the day, you can engage in sutra copying or Buddha image tracing with the head priest, who is also a calligraphy master, or immerse yourself in Ajikan meditation in the main hall. An afternoon spent simply gazing at the sunlight filtering through the trees onto the veranda is also a valid way to pass the time here. Not packing your schedule — that itself is the greatest luxury of this temple lodging.
Two expressions: day and night
Daylight filters through the trees, and at night, it's illuminated. As dusk falls, the courtyard is lit up, and the guest rooms reveal a completely different ambiance. The orange glow through the shoji screens, the outlines of the garden emerging from the darkness. The profound tranquility deepens as time passes.
Simply relax on the temple grounds
The enjoyment isn't limited to your guest room. Kannon-in's grounds feature the 'Sara Park,' a garden where seasonal flowers bloom. Whether you take a walk in the morning light or simply relax under the trees, both local visitors and overnight guests spend their time as they please. This is a temple open to the town, without walls. Spending a leisurely moment on its grounds is another pleasure of this stay.
Time spent in Kannon-in's guest rooms is not about competing for luxury. It's about experiencing the exquisite 'doing nothing' — gently enveloped by Kiryu's craftsmanship, cleansed by water, and filled with tranquility.