Japanese Buddhist Temple Experience
As soon as you arrive, you will be welcomed into the temple, taking a step out the mundane into the spiritual. You will be given a special samue jacket to wear and seated in front of the Buddhist teacher who will accept you as a student of the temple for the day. After this simple water blessing ceremony, you will be instructed in the basics of meditation followed by a short period of meditation. After the session is finished, you will be instructed in the art of shakyo (copying the sutra) with Japanese brushes copying the Chinese characters. Then for lunch, you will learn how to eat oriyoki (eating with monk's bowls) in the ritualized method that allows us to continue into deeper contemplation and insight. Meals will be cooked according to Shojin Ryori (Buddhist cooking) based on ancient teachings from India and China.
We’ll conduct our event at our city temple, Seattle Choeizan Enkyoji, which is located in the historic Chinatown-ID neighborhood.
Hi. I'm Kanjin, a member of the Atlas Obscura community. I'm the head Buddhist priest and founder of Seattle Choeizan Enkyoji Nichiren Buddhist Temple, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. At the age of 18, I began studying Buddhism and eventually became a priest of the Nichiren Shu tradition. For the past 25 years, I've studied with many of the most noted of all meditation teachers in Buddhism as well being the first non-Japanese priest to attend the ancient 100 day Aragyo ascetic training conducted in Japan. I have special permission and formal licenses to share and instruct others the traditions of meditation.
For questions about this experience, please contact me directly through Airbnb.
There are 5 spots available on this experience.
Guests ages 14 and up can attend.
You do not need to be a Buddhist or wish to become a Buddhist to participate. This is a health and cultural experience that we are offering. If you have any health or physical challenges we can adapt the experience, which can be done sitting in a chair, or on a meditation cushion.
- Comfortable clothes for meditation. No dresses, jeans, or sleeveless shirts.
- Clean white socks.
Any experience can be canceled and fully refunded within 24 hours of purchase. See cancellation policy.
A traditional Buddhist Shojin Ryori made of ayurvedic brown rice, miso soup and Japanese takuan pickle.
We will supply the Buddhist samue jacket and all needed writing supplies. A special traditional Japanese Ofuda talisman will be gifted to you to show our thanks for your participation.
