3-Day Zen Temple Retreat near Tokyo - November 22 to 24, 2025

We'll be holding a 3-day (2-night) Zen meditation retreat over the national holiday weekend from November 22 to 24 (Saturday to Monday) 2025 at Shokakuji temple near Hanno City in Saitama Prefecture. The retreat will be held through English. Anyone interested is welcome to attend, and the retreat is suitable for beginners. All meals during the retreat are suitable for vegetarians. The beautiful autumnal colors in the mountains around the temple provide a lovely setting for a brief taste of Buddhist life.

Cost: 26,400 yen.
The cost includes accommodation and meals during the retreat, but excludes the cost of transportation (approximately 1,400 yen one-way from Tokyo) to the temple. We ask for a ¥5,000 deposit to reserve a place.

What to Bring:
The temple provide all meals and accommodation during the retreat. It's possible to take a bath or shower during the retreat, but the temple asks everyone to bring their own bath towel. We recommend bringing comfortable clothing for practicing meditation.

To Sign Up to Attend:
Email me (Peter) at: tokyozazen@gmail.com for more information or to sign up to attend. You can also send me a message through the meetup app if you have any questions about the retreat.

You can also sign up for the retreat at our Saturday Zen meditation class on November 8 at Tokyo University Buddhists Association. The last day to sign up for the retreat is Saturday November 15.

Transport to the Temple:
Most of the participants will be traveling together from Tokyo to Hanno station on the Seibu-Ikebukuro line. We'll meet at 9.30 am on Saturday morning (November 22) at the East Exit of Seibu-Ikebukuro station, and take a Seibu-Ikebukuro line train bound for Hanno station. After arriving at Hanno station, we'll take a bus to the temple. You're welcome to travel with this group. If you're going to Hanno station directly, you can meet with the group coming from Tokyo at Hanno station at around 10.45 am. Click here for directions to the meeting place at Seibu-Ikebukuro Station.

There's more information about the retreat here.

See you there!