Daijin Temple

Sub temple of Daitokuji temple

A private Zen temple which is not open to the public, has a beautiful Karesansui garden beyond its elegant tea room.
Visitors will be able to experience the real Zen by placing themselves in a life of Zen Buddhist monk.

Room information
36.32 sq meter /Bathroom /Bathtub / shower / Air conditioning /Futon, Japanese-style mattress (No bed) / Free WiFi

Amenities:
Humidifier / Refrigerator / Towel and toothbrush

* This plan is only one party a night. (Maximum number of people is 5)
Dinner and breakfast at the nearby Japanese restaurant are included.
An interpreter will accompany the guests.

The Main Hall

Staying Facility

Schedule

[First day]
1:30pm Depart from Kyoto station or Hotel
4:00pm Experience Zazen, seated Zen meditation at the main hall of the temple
4:30pm Experience Zen sutra recitation at the main hall of the temple
6:00pm Dinner

*Since the schedule above is tentative, times and activities may change.

 

[Second day]
7:00amMorning walk around the temple (Free time)
7:45am Breakfast
9:30am Experience tea ceremony at the temple�s special tea room
11:30am Arrive at Kyoto station or Hotel

*Since the schedule above is tentative, times and activities may change.

Tea ceremony

A Zen Buddhist monk directly serves guests tea. Guests will be able to enjoy private experience of the traditional, elegant tea room in the Daijiin temple.

Zazen

Zazen is one of the basic Zen practices aiming of one’s mental concentration, by sitting in the right posture. Guests experience this practice by learning from a Zen Buddhist monk.

Morning walk (Free time)

Walking within the Daitokuji temple site is a privilege of this program’s guests. There will be no other tourists in the refreshing morning temple.

Toda, Seizan (Vice priest)

Daijiin is a sub-temple of the large and famous Daitoku-ji temple compound in northern Kyoto. Surrounded by lush gardens and architectural gems in the form of meditation halls and other sub-temples, serenity is magnified by the enormity of the setting.�  Then, too, the overall landscape is made even more lovely by the trees, which attract a variety of birds through the seasons.

Seizan Toda is the monk in charge here. Young, robust, and animated. His round face beams with pleasure. As he explains his outlook, crows caw, drums sound, bells ring, and chants can be heard. Anxieties come from relationships, he says with a friendly smile. With others and with yourself. He pauses. By practicing zazen, you identify yourself. You reduce your stress. So it becomes daily practice. But it's impossible to diminish yourself. To reduce, reduce, reduce. You still exist. So what remains finally is focusing on every single thing.

You become absorbed by that thing. He says nothing. Waits. The tea ceremony is like that. Guests who stay here reside at a beautiful, two story building hidden away from the main areas of the compound, and enjoy tatami rooms, peace, and quiet.

Mr. Toda takes delight in bringing his world into the lives of others. He is a practical individual, not a man with his head in the clouds, but instead someone who knows that it is by doing that people change. Relax the body first, he says. Adjust your breathing and your soul will be settled. His observations are pierced by laughter, such is the pleasure Todo-san derives from what he does. Our medicine is to adjust your way of life, he says.

History

Daijiin is a sub temple of Daitokuji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism. The founder is Tenshuku Sougen. The temple was built in 1585, by Kenshoin (family of Otomo Sourin), Anyoin, (sister of Oda Nobunaga), Murakami Suounokami Yoshiaki and Yamaguchi Sama Hirosada. Although the temple suffered from an earthquake in 1830, it was re-built in 1847 by using old materials.
A monument of Murasakishikibu, which locates in the front garden of the Daijiin’ s main hall, was originally planned to build at the side of her grave in 1795.  However, the monument was built in Hekigyoku-an, other sub temple of Daitokuji temple and when the temple was closed because of the the Meiji Restoration, it was moved to Daijiin temple. Also a mortuary tablet, grave and a portrait of Tachibana Muneshige was moved to Daijiin temple. In the Daijiin temple, there is a tea room called Ton-an which was built by Seisai, 12th head family of the Omote Senke and Ennosai, 13th head family of Ura Senke in 1924.

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