Ryosoku-in Temple — Attraction in Kyoto

I came here for a morning meditation session, which is conducted entirely in Japanese. Highly recommend. You are still able to participate if you don’t understand Japanese, although it might be best to hire or wrangle a translator for the hour and a half session. You wouldn’t want to miss the monk instructor’s profound message.

Reservations for meditation (or zazen) classes are available through Ryosoku-in’s official website. I reserved mine for 8:30-10 A.M., and it was around ¥2000. The first hour is the lesson, while the remainder of the class is free time, during which you can pick a corner of the balcony overlooking the zen garden upon which to mediate on your own, take photographs, or strike up a conversation with the monk.

His approach to meditation is refreshingly simple and secular, and he is a wonderfully good-natured individual. It was a healing experience—although I wasn’t flexible enough to sit criss-cross apple sauce with one leg over the other...

Wonderful experience. Just being present on the ground but also being able to participate in a meditation class. I learned the importance of breathing and being able to be aware of all within and outside of myself as apart of me. The monk spoke Japanese and also translated the lesson in English for me to understand completely. So...

Ryosoku-in is the sub-temple of Kenninji Temple in Kyoto’s Gion district. The Temple was the “educational” division of the Kenninji Temple. It aims to build the perfect place to meditate and to experience zazen meditation(seated...