The holiday that's like Narnia for your wellness-loving clients

You know what they say, when in Rome… and so for dinner we eat like the monks and feast on shojin ryori, or Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Our meals, curated by chef Toru Kawakami, comprise nine courses, from red radish sushi to deep-fried tofu hot pot with rice flavoured with red shisho leaf, and fill us up nicely, washed down with black tea.

After dinner we make our way back to our compact room to find staff had prepared our beds for the night – futons rolled out on the tatami mats. Our room is minimal with sliding doors that open out to a balcony overlooking the garden. It also has its own toilet, which is unusual for Mount Koya as shukubos tend to have shared toilet and bathing facilities. However, showers here are shared and located in a separate area.

The highlight, though, is the morning ceremony. Late risers may balk at the 6am start, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We enter the main hall – decked out with traditional murals, golden chandeliers and a statue of Kobo Daishi – and observe as the four resident monks chant mantras. The baritone humming rises and falls, conjuring a sacred ambience that gives me goosebumps. Halfway through we are invited to offer our own prayers and, in the spirit of the ceremony, I take the chance to silently give thanks for this ethereal experience.

CEDAR HOUSE RULES

In contrast, Zenbo Seinei takes a more modern approach to Japanese zen. Having launched in spring last year on Awaji Island, located south-west of Osaka, this meditation retreat was designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban who is renowned for his eco-friendly work with paper construction materials. Zenbo Seinei itself was built from 80% cedar and I smell faint traces of the woody fragrance as I walk along the long wooden halls. 

Guests can check in for day trips or overnight stays and we opt for the former, arriving just in time for shojin ryori lunch. The tasty menu consists of seven courses of vegetarian dishes with locally sourced ingredients and includes soba mushroom bean paste, tonburi and tomato ponzu, and konjac and toro skewers.

Afterwards we’re invited to make our own matcha tea in our guest room, which is simply kitted out with a sofa, a desk and chair and raised tatami beds. We also learn the ancient Japanese art of calligraphy, by tracing templates by renowned Japanese calligrapher Shisyu, whose works of art also adorn the walls of the retreat. 

Zenbo Seinei was purposely designed to sit high above the treetops of Awaji Island and all 18 rooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views. In warmer months yoga and meditation take place in the 100-metre-long, open-air platform, but during our visit we instead do the session in our rooms to avoid the chill.

Instructor Meaw leads us into meditation as we sit on the bed facing the verdant great outdoors before us. It wasn’t long before she encourages us to open our eyes to see glimmering snowflakes swirling through the air.

I hear gasps of wonder from the other guests. “We hardly ever see snow around here, so it’s really exciting,” Meaw later told me.

And, thinking back to our experience of a fairy-tale winter wonderland on Mount Koya, I honestly don’t disagree.

Book it: A seven-night tailor-made Zen Old and New trip, including a night each at the Souji-in and the Zenbo Seinei along with three nights in Kyoto and two nights in Osaka, starts from £2,913pp (excluding flights) with all accommodation, breakfast every day, two dinners, a wellness programme at the Zenbo Seinei and some private guiding. insidejapantours.com