Seek spirituality with zazen meditation held at a historic, 400-year-old temple
1.5 hour private experience
Location: Nakatsugawa, Gifu
Offered in Japanese, with friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in your language
A minimum of 2 guests is required to book. Solo participants are welcome but will be charged the 2-person rate
Meet the Master
What you’ll do
Learn about the history of the temple in connection to the Nakasendo trail. Then, guided by the head priest, complete a session of zazen meditation. For those interested, extend the experience by copying sutra, to immerse into different kinds of Buddhist religious practice.
Who can attend
Children must be 10+
What to wear
Please refrain from wearing short skirts or otherwise revealing clothing.
Comfortable clothing is recommended.
Availability
Monday to Friday
Session 1 (9:00 - 10:30)
Session 2 (10:30- 12:30)
Session 3 (12:30 - 14:00)
Session 4 (14:00 - 15:30)
Saturday and Sunday
Session 3 (12:30 - 14:00)
Session 4 (14:00 - 15:30)
Unavailable on national holidays.
Access
1 hour and 15 minutes by car from Nagoya Station
Simple Yet Profound
Posture, breathing, and mind. These are the three tenets that form the basis of zazen meditation, a fundamental practice for practitioners of Zen Buddhism in Japan. Introduced to Japan in roughly the 12th century by prominent monks, such as Dogen and Eisai, returning from overseas studies in China, zazen trains both negation, and an embrace, of thought. In this pursuit of enlightenment, rather than chant sutras or listen to teachings, participants sit, silent and still, attempting to think about nothing, letting ideas and emotions filter out of their mind. Through this conscientious training, practitioners can get closer and closer to seeing reality, rid of delusions and harmful thought. Seated directly along the Nakasendo trail, a historic Edo post road connecting Kyoto and Tokyo that winds through the surrounding mountains and the Kiso Valley, this Zen temple has over four centuries of history, many of which were spent servicing travelers trekking along the route. Led by the head monk, discover more about both the temple and Buddhist teachings before experiencing true zazen meditation. If you'd like to extend your immersion into Buddhist religious practices, you can also undergo Buddhist sutra copying, a form of embracing the essence of the sutras into your heart while wielding a traditional calligraphy pen to copy the kanji to washi paper.
Cancellation Policy
Please make your booking at least 3 days in advance. See cancellation policy here.
A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.