Dogen Sangha Tokyo

Hi! We hold our meetings in the mediation room at the Tokyo University Buddhists Association (see map below). Our meetings are free of charge and anyone interested is welcome. The meetings are suitable for beginners and anyone interested in Zen meditation and Zen Buddhism.

We start off with an hour of sitting meditation (zazen) combined with walking meditation (kinhin) from 11:00 to 12 noon. (I put the start time as 10:50 in case anyone needs some instruction before sitting). After that we do a little bit of Sutra chanting for 15-20 minutes. The meditation and Sutra chanting are suitable for beginners. Then we have a break for about 40 minutes. Then from 1:00 pm we do zazen meditation again for 30 minutes, and after that we have a talk for about 50 minutes where we usually go over Buddhist philosophy based on the teachings of a Japanese monk named Master Dogen in his text, Shobogenzo.

The schedule is:
10.50 - 11.10 Arrival and introduction
11.10 - 11.30 Zazen (Sitting meditation )
11.30 - 11.40 Kinhin (Walking meditation)
11.40 - 12.00 Zazen
12.00 - 12.15 Heart Sutra

12.15 - 13.00 Break

12.50 - 13.00 Instruction
13.00 - 13.30 Zazen
13.40 - 14.25 Talk about Buddhism (optional)

It's fine to come to only the first part (11.00-12.00) or the second part (12.50-14.30) , or to both.

Directions:
From Hongo-sanchome station on the Marunouchi line, turn right after passing through the ticket barrier, and follow the alley out to the main street. The building where the meetings are held is across the street.
If you're coming from Hongo-sanchome station on the Oedo line, take exit no. 5 and turn to the left after leaving the station. Follow the main street and then turn left again at the corner with the traffic lights.
The entrance to the Tokyo University Buddhists Association is next to the Nicos travel agency (just behind the bus stop).

Here is a link to the place on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MZyf6ZTnYB9v2LA88

Also, please check the map at: http://www.zen.ie/hongomap.pdf

There's a video with directions at: https://youtu.be/kQ9TivDHTOk

See you there!

As usual we have just over 30 minutes of zazen sitting from 13:00 (I put the start time as 12:45 as it's good for any people new to zazen to get a little bit of instruction before sitting). After that we will have an hour lecture from Gerhard Wolfram where we usually go over Buddhist philosophy based on the teachings of Master Dogen found in his text, The Shobogenzo.

It is advisable to wear loose comfortable clothing for sitting zazen.

• NOTE: Numbers from Meetup have to be limited due to space constraints and fitting in regular non-meetup members also (though we do not usually have such an amount of people signing up from Meetup, this is just in case as we have previously on unpredictable, random occasions).

It will be held at the Tokyo University Young Buddhist's Association (they have an office floor in the MUFJ building).

Here is a link to the place on Google Maps:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MZyf6ZTnYB9v2LA88

And this is a link to a video of how to get there from the Marunouchi line:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ9TivDHTOk

Also, here is a nice explanatory video by the founder of our group explaining how to sit zazen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsFlrdXVFgo