Shofukuji Temple Zazenkai 日本語←English)


Zazenkai description and notes
【Summary】
Shofukuji meditation session (Zazenkai), starts every Sunday morning, from 6:30am to 8:00 am.
There is a Zazenkai on New Year's day also. Please feel free to join. Fee is 200 yen per session.
There is a car park in the temple. Restrooms are located outside the temple.
The Zazenkai may recess on irregular dates.
If you are visiting for the first time, please contact the temple to confirm schedule the prior day.
Tel : 087-866-9124

【Time schedule】
You can enter the temple (the main hall) from 6:30 am. Zazenkai is 1 hour from 6:30 am through to 7:30 am.
There is no fixed assembly time, but we suggest you to be in temple by 7:00 am.
You may enter and leave the main hall as you please during Zen meditation.

【Procedure】
At the entrance, place 200 yen to the offertory box.
Bow to the main hall, take the cushion and enter the Zazenkai area to your left in the main hall.
From your entrance to the end of meditation please prohibit from talking.
You may meditate anywhere within the Zazenkai area.
You do not have to sit in an official posture.
Until you are familiar, please sit in your preferable posture to keep your legs comfortable.
The important point of meditation is to forget daily affairs with a quite breathing.
If you wish, the priest teach how to meditate after Zazenkai.
After the meditation the priest will give a lecture.
During the meditation, a tape of morning practice from Eiheiji Temple the main temple of Sotozen will be played.
At 7:30 am, with the signal from the priest, all meditation will end. A tea will be served with a lecture from the priest.
There is no translation but you can listen as you have your tea. At 8:00 am, the Zazenkai will end.

【Clothing】
Please attend with comfortable clothing. There is no change room.
Please refrain from short pants and tank tops even in summer.
In winter if necessary, please bring shawls or any other items to keep yourself warm.

【Cautions】
We do not have translation. We suggest you to join with a translator.
We do not accept group participation, unless prior consultation.
We have leaflets in Japanese and English.
However, if you do Zen meditation for the first time, we encourage you to first see Soto sect introduction videos etc.
https://www.sotozen-net.or.jp/doga