Zazen Map Japan
Free · Non-commercial · 2,000 sessions listed
Find a zazen session near you, anywhere in Japan
Zen temples all over Japan open their meditation halls to the public — often for free, and often without any need to be a Buddhist. The trouble is finding one. This map collects them in one place.
Open the mapSee what is on near youThe map itself shows temple names and addresses in Japanese. This page explains how to read it.
The short version
- CostMany are free. Most others are ¥500–¥2,000. Bring cash.
- BookingSome need it, some do not. The map says which.
- LanguageAlmost all are held in Japanese. You can still take part.
- LengthUsually 30–90 minutes, early morning or evening.
- ExperienceNone needed. Beginners are normal at public sessions.
- ReligionYou are not asked to convert or to believe anything.
How to use the map
- Open the map and allow locationThe pins near you appear first. You can also drag the map anywhere.
- Filter by when it is onThe buttons at the top narrow the list to sessions happening within 24 or 48 hours, or on a date you pick.
- Tap a pinYou get the temple’s address, phone number, schedule, cost, and whether booking is needed.
Pin colours show the school of Zen: green for Sōtō, blue for Rinzai, orange for Ōbaku, grey for others.
Open the mapStart from a city
These open the map centred on each city. Zoom out to see more.
What happens at a session
It varies by temple, but a public session usually runs something like this.
- Arrive earlyTen to fifteen minutes before the start. You will be shown where to leave your shoes and bag.
- A short explanationHow to sit, what to do with your hands and eyes, how to breathe. Often demonstrated rather than explained.
- SittingUsually 20–40 minutes. Eyes stay open, lowered to the floor. You sit still and let thoughts pass.
- Kinhin — walkingMany temples break a long sit with slow walking meditation. It also gives your legs a rest.
- Tea, and sometimes a talkGreen tea or matcha and a sweet, and often a short talk by the priest.
At some temples a priest walks the hall carrying a flat wooden stick and strikes the shoulders of those who ask for it. It is not a punishment and it is never done without consent. At most temples you request it by bowing; if you do nothing, nothing happens.
Before you go
- Check whether booking is needed. On the map, 要予約 means you must book, 不要 means you can just turn up, and 随時 means they take bookings any time.
- Wear something you can sit cross-legged in. Loose trousers are ideal. Avoid tight jeans, short skirts and shorts. You will be in socks or bare feet.
- Bring cash. Temples rarely take cards. 志納 means “give what you feel is right” — ¥500–¥1,000 is a normal amount.
- Arrive early, not on time. Sessions start punctually, and many temples will not admit latecomers once sitting has begun.
- Ask before photographing. Inside the hall, assume the answer is no unless you are told otherwise.
- Say if it is your first time. 初めてです (hajimete desu) — “this is my first time”. It is the single most useful thing you can say.
Sitting on a chair is accepted at most temples, and it is still zazen. Say so when you book or arrive. In Japanese: 椅子で参加できますか (isu de sanka dekimasu ka) — “may I take part sitting on a chair?”
Booking by email, when you have no Japanese
Most temples answer email more reliably than the phone, and a short polite message in Japanese gets a much better response than one in English. Copy the text below and fill in the three bracketed parts. It is deliberately simple.
件名：坐禅会 参加のお願い
突然のご連絡を失礼いたします。
[あなたの名前] と申します。海外から日本を訪れております。
[10月25日] の坐禅会に [2] 名で参加したく、ご連絡いたしました。
坐禅は初めてです。日本語はほとんど話せません。
ご参加いただけるかどうか、お教えいただけますでしょうか。
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
[あなたの名前]
[あなたのメールアドレス]
It says: your name, that you are visiting from overseas, the date and number of people, that it is your first time and you speak very little Japanese, and a request to let you know whether you may join. Replace the bracketed parts — [あなたの名前] is your name, [10月25日] the date, [2] the number of people. Dates are written month-then-day: 10月25日 is 25 October.
Words you will see on the map
The temple listings come from the temples themselves, so they are in Japanese. These are the labels that matter.
| 坐禅会 | zazenkai | A public zazen session |
|---|---|---|
| 日程 | nittei | When it is held |
| 参加費 | sankahi | Cost to take part |
| 無料 | muryō | Free |
| 志納 | shinō | Donation, amount up to you |
| 予約 | yoyaku | Booking |
| 要予約 | yō yoyaku | Booking required |
| 不要 | fuyō | Not required — just turn up |
| 随時 | zuiji | Bookings taken at any time |
| 定員 | teiin | Maximum number of people |
| 連絡先 | renrakusaki | Phone number |
| 宗派 | shūha | School of Buddhism |
| 曹洞宗 | Sōtō-shū | Sōtō Zen — the largest Zen school in Japan |
| 臨済宗 | Rinzai-shū | Rinzai Zen |
| 黄檗宗 | Ōbaku-shū | Ōbaku Zen |
| 初心者歓迎 | shoshinsha kangei | Beginners welcome |
| 休会 | kyūkai | Cancelled / not meeting this time |
Questions people ask
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. Almost every session is conducted in Japanese, but zazen is mostly silent, and the instructions are physical — how to fold your legs, where to put your hands, where to look. Watching the person next to you gets you most of the way. Tell them it is your first time and they will usually show you.
Do I have to be a Buddhist?
No. Public sessions are open to anyone. You will not be asked about your beliefs, and nobody will try to convert you.
Is it painful?
Your legs may ache if you are not used to sitting on the floor. You can sit in half-lotus, kneel on a cushion, or use a chair. Longer sittings are usually broken up with walking.
Can I go alone?
Yes, and most people do.
How do I know if a session is still running?
Temple schedules change. This site checks listings regularly, but the last word is always the temple’s. Phone or email before you travel, especially for a session you have gone out of your way for.
What if nobody speaks English when I call?
Email instead. Use the Japanese message above — a written request is much easier for a temple to handle than a phone call.
Is this site run by a temple?
No. It is run by RKD Corporation, a company in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, as a non-commercial project. Temples are listed free of charge and pay nothing to appear. Using the site is free.
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