View all 54

Starry night mental detox! Shogaku-ji 2D1N Temple Stay: Zen, Shojin Ryori & morning service in Hanno

Highlights

Reset mind & body with a 2D1N mini-ascetic stay at Shogaku-ji, the perfect gateway to authentic temple training.
Easy access, just 3 hours from central Tokyo! Refresh yourself in a peaceful environment surrounded by rich nature.
Join morning services, Dharma talks, or seek life advice from the friendly head priest to reset your mind.
Clear your mind with Zen meditation held twice, in the evening and morning... Recharge your energy for tomorrow with min
The breathtaking starry sky viewed from this secluded temple is a special treat that heals any tired soul.

What to expect

＼＼ Key Highlights of Shogaku-ji Temple Stay ／／ ● Popular temple welcoming approx. 1,000 visitors yearly! Awaken your mind with this 2D1N residential Zen experience featuring Zazen, Shojin Ryori, morning service, Dharma talks, and temple chores.

● To eat is to live. Face your food with deep gratitude and savor traditional "Tenza" (Buddhist vegetarian) cuisine while learning the formal dining etiquette of the Soto Zen sect.

● In addition to two Zazen sessions (evening and morning), try your hand at Shakyo (sutra copying). Quietly face yourself, reset your mind and body, or have a personal consultation with the head priest.

Start easily! Click here for the Day-Use Training Experience

Fukuo-zan Shogaku-ji Temple Fukuo-zan Shogaku-ji is a Soto Zen temple surrounded by the lush nature of the Naguri mountains near Hanno City, Saitama. Hear the chirping of wild birds, the gentle sound of the river, and the rustle of the wind during the day. At night, gaze at a sky full of stars. The temple stays cool in the summer without any fans, making it feel like Saitama's own Karuizawa retreat. Established in 1483 by the founding priest Honshitsu Honen (who passed away in 1492), the temple was later restored in 1577 by the priest Joshitsu Zonju.

What's included

Breakfast
Dinner
Accommodation fee
Two Zazen (Zen Meditation) Sessions, Two Dharma Talks (Buddhist Teachings), Instruction on Dining & Temple Etiquette, Samu (Mindful Temple Work: Sweeping, Floor Wiping, etc.), Shakyo (Sutra Copying), and Personal Consultation & Life Advice

About this experience

Starting at: 15:00

Schedule

—
Arrival & Check-in at Shogaku-ji Temple
—
*Please make sure to check in by 16:30.
Shogaku-ji Temple sits quietly in the peaceful mountains of Hanno, Saitama. Experience the lifestyle of a training monk during this 2D1N stay with Zen meditation, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, and morning services. *If the head priest is away, another staff member will assist you.
—
Introducing the Head Priest: Somyo Ishii
Somyo Ishii is the head priest of Shogaku-ji, a temple with over 500 years of history. Through temple stays, he helps people integrate Zen into their daily lives. He sits in meditation alongside guests and kindly listens to those seeking life advice, always supporting them closely.
—
[A Message to Our Guests]
May your days always be filled with joy. I look forward to welcoming you to our temple with a warm and healthy smile!
17:00
Zazen (Zen Meditation) Experience under the Priest's Guidance
Correct your posture and chant: "Sanzen kenshu no tame, go-shido dozo yoroshu" (Please guide us in our Zen training) to begin. Practice the Soto Zen style of Shikantaza (just sitting)—letting go of all desires, even for enlightenment. Find peace within the tension and face your inner self.
18:30
Yakuseki
Enjoy Tenza Ryori (Buddhist Shojin Ryori). Tenza is the temple chef. Meals are crafted with the belief that when the cook's heart and the diner's heart unite in joy, even silent ingredients find peace. Made with fresh, local market ingredients, eat mindfully with gratitude for nature.
—
Meals as Practice: Learning the Teachings of Zen Master Dogen
Hold your chopsticks at eye level and chant the Gokan-no-Ge (Five Contemplations) after the priest. In Soto Zen, meals are eaten in complete silence. Focus entirely on eating and savoring each bite, as sharing the meal is itself an important part of temple training.
—
To eat is to live.
Zen Master Dogen taught: "Those who face their food with gratitude and eat with beautiful manners naturally embody Buddhist teachings." Return to the basics of eating with soulful Shojin Ryori. Align your mind and body as the priest guides you in the proper handling and cleaning of tableware.
—
19:30 Kaiyoku (Bath Time)
—
Star Gazing & Personal Consultation (Optional)
Between dinner, bath time, and bed, enjoy stargazing. The sky over this secluded temple is clear and filled with stars. If time permits, you can even seek life advice under the stars. *Please request consultations in advance. Note that availability varies by season and time.
—
21:00 Kaichin (Bedtime)
Early to bed and early to rise is the rule of a temple stay. Wash away your fatigue in the bath and go to bed early. Calm your mind and ease into a peaceful, deep sleep in this quiet sanctuary.
05:30
Waking Up & Morning Service
Morning at the temple starts early with a 5:30 AM wake-up call. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, straighten your posture for the morning service. It is a refreshing start that naturally sharpens your mind.
06:00
Zazen
Sit in Zen meditation with a clear, empty mind in the crisp, dignified air. Listen to the birds chirping, the river flowing, and the wind rustling through the leaves. Quietly face the nature right before you and look deep into your own heart.
08:00
Shoshoku
This traditional vegan breakfast contains absolutely no animal products, just like the meals eaten by training monks. The gentle, clean flavors seep into your body, serving as a soothing reward that nourishes both your mind and physical self.
08:30
Samu
Clean the main hall and its corridors with sincere gratitude for your stay. By focusing on cleaning each spot with care and devotion, this mindful work becomes a practice that purifies and refreshes your own heart as well.
09:00
Shakyo (Sutra Copying) Experience
Shakyo is the practice of copying Buddhist scriptures. By tracing each character with a calm mind, new insights may blossom within you. No writing experience is needed, so please join us! *Not available during New Year's, Obon, or other major temple events.
—
Check-out

Location and Directions

Check-in / Check-out
Fukuozan Shogakuji Temple
2326 Kaminaguri, Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture 357-0111
Itinerary
Check-in: From 15:00
*Please make sure to arrive by 16:30.
●By Train & Bus
From Seibu Ikebukuro Line Hanno Station or JR Higashi-Hanno Station, take the Kokusai Kogyo Bus (bound for "Nago" [名郷] or "Yunosawa" [湯ノ沢]) for approximately 55 minutes.
Get off at the "Nago" (名郷) bus stop; the temple is about a 1-minute walk from there.

▷Click here for the Kokusai Kogyo Bus Timetable from Hanno Station
http://transfer.navitime.biz/5931bus/pc/diagram/BusDiagram?orvCode=00021942&course=0001000934&stopNo=1●By Car
Approximately 35 minutes toward Naguri from the Ken-O Expressway (Hidaka-Hanno IC or Ome IC).
Parking information
Free parking spaces are available on the temple grounds.