About us
Tokyo Meditation Meetup!
Welcome fellow meditators! Join the Tokyo Mindfulness Substack community here to stay updated with events, retreats and guided meditations.
We hold weekly meditation sessions, usually on Tuesday and Thursday nights for one hour. We have regular group meditation sessions focused on meditation in “the buddhist tradition,” without the traditional bowing to statues or chanting. Just sitting and focusing on the breath, body, and mind, for the most part. We also have retreats of varying lengths for those who want to go deeper.
The meditation sessions are suitable for both beginners and more advanced meditators -- I will also indicate which day is reserved for advanced/beginner. Emphasis will be on the development of mindfulness and wisdom, as well as lovingkindness. Chairs and meditation cushions are available. Guidance in these methods is provided in English.
There's also a chance to exchange views and experiences. The point is to have a non-judgmental safe-space to share your experience. If you want to remain silent, that's fine, too.
This group can be a starting point for practicing, discussing or experiencing the dhamma/dharma together and may serve to support your personal practice. :)
Come join us!
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Membership: Our regular sessions are typically 1,000 yen. If you become a paid member of Tokyo Mindfulness for 3,000 yen/month, you get access to ALL of our regular events, as well as discounted and priority access to retreats and special events. Get a membership here.
⚠️ An important note about No-Shows: We have a limited number of space for this event. If you can’t attend, please cancel your RSVP so that others can join. Repeated no-shows will result in you getting kicked out of the group.
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Mindfulness for Companies
1-1 Mindfulness Coaching
If you are looking to bring mindfulness in your day-to-day life, let go of your ego and overcome burnout, you can book a coaching call with Misha directly here: https://www.mishayurchenko.coach/
Book Recommendations
Hey all, I wanted to share some books about meditation that have been helpful along my journey and that you might find useful as well! I have listed them in order of “easiest to read” starting from the top, where as those towards the bottom of the list are a little bit more heavy.
- Bear Awareness by Ajahn Brahm
- Wherever you go, there you are by Jon Kabat-Zin
- Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield
- Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, by Shunryu Suzuki
- Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach
- Waking Up: A guide to Spirituality without religion by Sam Harris
- Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond by Ajahn Brahm
- The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts
- The Mind Illuminated by Culadasa (a very comprehensive guide)
- Focused and Fearless by Shaila Catherine
- Satipatthana Meditation - A practice guide, by Analayo
- Path to Nibbana, by David Johnson (metta practice)
- Manual of Insight, by Mahasi Sayadaw
- Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha by Daniel Ingram
- Seeing that Frees, by Rob Burbea
And, for thousands of free recorded lectures, talks and meditations from Buddhist teachers all around the world, check out this site: https://dharmaseed.org/
Featured event
The Art of Doing Nothing: Weekend Retreat to Reconnect With Yourself and Others
A weekend of digital detox + mindful authentic connection at Kakurinbo Temple
Come join us for a weekend of unplugging, slowing down, and reconnecting with yourself and each other -- at Kakurinbo Temple, tucked in the foothills of Mt. Minobu in Yamanashi.
This is a simple retreat space to step out of your routine, get out of your head, and remember what it feels like to be human again: breath, body, nature, real conversation, quiet evenings, and good food.
The practices are straightforward, beginner-friendly, and surprisingly deep. We’ll do mindfulness meditation, gentle mindful movement to help the body unwind, and a few of my favorite human connection practices: eye contact, mirroring, and authentic conversations in pairs.
The emphasis isn’t on fixing yourself or “performing vulnerability.” It’s on learning how to be with another person without trying to impress them, solve them, or figure them out — and noticing what becomes possible when you just listen, feel, and let things be.
This isn’t a silent retreat, and it’s not therapy. It’s a reset with each other.
If you’ve been feeling overstimulated, scattered, or a bit alone inside your own head lately, I’d love to have you with us.
🔍 Details
- Dates: Sat Feb 7 – Sun Feb 8
- Location: Kakurinbo Temple (Yamanashi, near Mt. Minobu)
- Open to: all levels (beginner friendly)
- Includes: roundtrip bus from Shinjuku + breakfast & dinner
- RSVP deadline: Jan 30 (I need to book the bus tickets)
✅ What’s included
- One-night stay at Kakurinbo Temple (shared rooms, spacious tatami)
- Roundtrip bus ticket Shinjuku ⇄ Yamanashi
- Temple meals: breakfast + dinner (vegetarian tofu dishes, including yuba/tofu skin)
- Guided mindfulness meditations + mindful movement
- Group / pair practices (eye contact, mirroring, authentic connection)
- A short hike and outdoor practice
- Morning temple visit / chanting at Kuonji (optional but highly recommended)
- Onsen time
❌ What’s not included
- Lunch on both days (we’ll go to a nearby café with vegetarian + meat options)
- Extra snacks/drinks/ice cream, etc.
📵 Digital Detox
Phones will be handed in on Saturday and returned on Sunday afternoon. I’ll keep phones accessible if there’s a genuine emergency. The point is to give your nervous system a break from constant input and let your attention come back to something simple: breath, body, nature, and conversation.
💴 Price and RSVP / payment
I’m offering two rates to keep this accessible. If you can pay the supporter rate, it helps me keep community spots available.
👉 Confirm your RSVP and pay via credit card or bank transfer above.
🚌 Getting there
We’ll take the 7:45am bus from Busta Shinjuku (Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal) on Saturday morning. Please arrive by 7:20am so we can find each other and get settled without rushing. We’ll arrive around midday, have lunch nearby, and then head into the temple for the afternoon program. On Sunday, we’ll leave by bus at 3:30pm and arrive back in Shinjuku around 7:30pm.
🎒 What to bring:
Bring warm layers (heat-tech/thermals, sweater/fleece), a warm jacket, and thick socks. Gloves and a hat are a good idea too. For the hike, bring comfortable walking shoes (trail shoes or sneakers with good grip) and a small daypack if you have one. Also bring comfortable clothes for meditation and mindful movement, plus a water bottle.
👋 About Your Mindfulness Guide
Misha Yurchenko is a Tokyo-based certified meditation teacher with over ten years of meditation experience. He has spent time on retreat around the world and practiced a range of techniques. After experiencing extreme burnout from his venture-funded startup, he founded Tokyo Mindfulness and is dedicated to helping others break free from themselves. He takes an integrated and practical approach combining meditation, breathwork, and nervous system healing to help people let go of the ego, release old habit patterns and find inner freedom. He is the author of several books and lives in Nerima with his family.
Join our Substack community to get updated with new events, talk to other members and get access to exclusive content.
Upcoming events
2
- ¥35,000.00
The Art of Doing Nothing: Weekend Retreat to Reconnect With Yourself and Others
Shinjuku, 〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿３丁目１５−１２,, Tokyo, JPA weekend of digital detox + mindful authentic connection at Kakurinbo Temple
Come join us for a weekend of unplugging, slowing down, and reconnecting with yourself and each other -- at Kakurinbo Temple, tucked in the foothills of Mt. Minobu in Yamanashi.
This is a simple retreat space to step out of your routine, get out of your head, and remember what it feels like to be human again: breath, body, nature, real conversation, quiet evenings, and good food.
The practices are straightforward, beginner-friendly, and surprisingly deep. We’ll do mindfulness meditation, gentle mindful movement to help the body unwind, and a few of my favorite human connection practices: eye contact, mirroring, and authentic conversations in pairs.
The emphasis isn’t on fixing yourself or “performing vulnerability.” It’s on learning how to be with another person without trying to impress them, solve them, or figure them out — and noticing what becomes possible when you just listen, feel, and let things be.
This isn’t a silent retreat, and it’s not therapy. It’s a reset with each other.
If you’ve been feeling overstimulated, scattered, or a bit alone inside your own head lately, I’d love to have you with us.
🔍 Details
- Dates: Sat Feb 7 – Sun Feb 8
- Location: Kakurinbo Temple (Yamanashi, near Mt. Minobu)
- Open to: all levels (beginner friendly)
- Includes: roundtrip bus from Shinjuku + breakfast & dinner
- RSVP deadline: Jan 30 (I need to book the bus tickets)
✅ What’s included
- One-night stay at Kakurinbo Temple (shared rooms, spacious tatami)
- Roundtrip bus ticket Shinjuku ⇄ Yamanashi
- Temple meals: breakfast + dinner (vegetarian tofu dishes, including yuba/tofu skin)
- Guided mindfulness meditations + mindful movement
- Group / pair practices (eye contact, mirroring, authentic connection)
- A short hike and outdoor practice
- Morning temple visit / chanting at Kuonji (optional but highly recommended)
- Onsen time
❌ What’s not included
- Lunch on both days (we’ll go to a nearby café with vegetarian + meat options)
- Extra snacks/drinks/ice cream, etc.
📵 Digital Detox
Phones will be handed in on Saturday and returned on Sunday afternoon. I’ll keep phones accessible if there’s a genuine emergency. The point is to give your nervous system a break from constant input and let your attention come back to something simple: breath, body, nature, and conversation.
💴 Price and RSVP / payment
I’m offering two rates to keep this accessible. If you can pay the supporter rate, it helps me keep community spots available.
👉 Confirm your RSVP and pay via credit card or bank transfer above.
🚌 Getting there
We’ll take the 7:45am bus from Busta Shinjuku (Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal) on Saturday morning. Please arrive by 7:20am so we can find each other and get settled without rushing. We’ll arrive around midday, have lunch nearby, and then head into the temple for the afternoon program. On Sunday, we’ll leave by bus at 3:30pm and arrive back in Shinjuku around 7:30pm.
🎒 What to bring:
Bring warm layers (heat-tech/thermals, sweater/fleece), a warm jacket, and thick socks. Gloves and a hat are a good idea too. For the hike, bring comfortable walking shoes (trail shoes or sneakers with good grip) and a small daypack if you have one. Also bring comfortable clothes for meditation and mindful movement, plus a water bottle.
👋 About Your Mindfulness Guide
Misha Yurchenko is a Tokyo-based certified meditation teacher with over ten years of meditation experience. He has spent time on retreat around the world and practiced a range of techniques. After experiencing extreme burnout from his venture-funded startup, he founded Tokyo Mindfulness and is dedicated to helping others break free from themselves. He takes an integrated and practical approach combining meditation, breathwork, and nervous system healing to help people let go of the ego, release old habit patterns and find inner freedom. He is the author of several books and lives in Nerima with his family.
Join our Substack community to get updated with new events, talk to other members and get access to exclusive content.3 attendees 
Meditation and Yoga retreat in Okinawa (5-Night/6 Day)
Le Lotus Bleu, 148 Shiraho, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0242, Ishigaki, JPHey all, I’m excited to announce our upcoming retreat on Ishigaki Island from March 5th to 10th, 2026!
We’ll gather in the quiet seaside village of Shiraho at a beautiful retreat center just a couple of minutes from the beach and experience the healing power of nature.
Surrounded by ocean, coral, and open sky, we’ll practice meditation, yoga, and mindful movement while letting the land and sea support us.
We’ve got a few people signed up already (outside of the meetup app) and expect a group of 6 to 8 people. Meditators of all levels are welcome.
To RSVP, Please see full details of the retreat here
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Details:
- Theme: Healing with Nature - Meditation and Yoga Retreat
- Location: Le Lotus Bleu Retreat Center, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa
- Date: March 5th-10th (arrive by 5pm on March 5th, leave around noon on the 10th) --> option for shorter stay
- Price: 145,000 yen for local residents and early bird discount available until end of Jan
- RSVP deadline: March 1st
- Group size: limited to 8 participants to keep the space intimate and personal.
- Language: the retreat will be guided in English, with some Japanese support if needed.
What to expect:
- 🧘♂️ Daily morning yoga
- 🧘 Guided meditations and pair practices
- 🤿 Snorkeling tour to blue coral reef
- 🌿 Jungle hike
- ⛵ Taketomi island trek
- 🌊 Freediving option
- 🔔 Sound healing journey
- 📵 Digital detox
- 💬 1-1 tailored meditations/check-ins
- 🍱 Delicious home-cooked meals
- 💆 Optional massages available
Included
– 5 nights accommodation at Le Lotus Bleu
– all meals from dinner on March 5 to lunch on March 10
– daily yoga, meditation, pair practices and group sessions
– Taketomi island tour, jungle hike, and snorkeling tour
– all local transport for retreat activities (car and taxi, boat to Taketomi)
Not included
– flights to and from Ishigaki
– travel insurance
– optional massages
– any extra food or drinks you choose outside of the group meals
✨ New option: Join Thu–Sun (Core Retreat) or stay through Tue
I realize that taking a full 5 nights/6 days can be challenging with work and other obligations. You now have the option to join the core retreat from Thu–Sun (March 5th-8th), which is 2 days shorter. Message me for more details if you’re considering this.
🤝 Bring a friend discount
If you have someone in your life who needs a reset too, bring them. I’m offering a little discount for anyone who signs up as a pair. Just reach out and I’ll send the info.
To RSVP, Please see full details of the retreat here1 attendee
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