Throughout Japanese history, temples and shrines were considered epicenters of culture, where people were formed, educated, and learned new skills.
Many of the visitors flocked to the surrounding areas, turning them into thriving tourist and trading centers. As a result, these places became popular travel destinations in their own right, especially when combined with the local scenery, food, and hot springs.
In the days when walking was the primary means of transportation, staying overnight was a must when visiting distant temples and shrines. For this reason, many of these buildings were equipped with on-site accommodations called shukubo (temple lodgings).
Although they no longer serve the same function today, the number of temples and shrines offering shukubo accommodation as an experience has increased, and they are proving to be very popular.
Guests at shukubo are served dinner and breakfast, but the type of food offered is somewhat different than usual. For example, Buddhist temples only serve vegetarian food that does not contain meat or fish, in accordance with the beliefs of the religion.
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