Sit zazen at Eiheiji and attend the monks’ morning service, as a guest of Hakujukan

What the experience is

Eiheiji stands in a valley of old cedars in Fukui prefecture, on the Sea of Japan side of the country. It was founded in the thirteenth century by the monk Dogen and is one of the two head temples of the Soto school of Zen. It is a working monastery, where monks are trained in meditation, chanting and manual work.

Hakujukan, the hotel of Eiheiji Temple, stands just outside the monastery and has 18 rooms. Its staff include Zen concierges, trained at the temple, who guide guests and act as liaison with the temple. Through them guests can arrange to sit zazen, seated meditation, either at the temple or at the inn, and to attend the morning service before breakfast. Participation is voluntary, and on some days the temple’s own sessions are not held, in which case the concierge leads a session at the inn. Dinner is shojin ryori, the vegetarian cooking of Buddhist temples, and the inn has baths, including open-air ones.

A stay usually means arriving in the afternoon, sitting zazen with the concierge and, the next morning, going up to the monastery for the early service before breakfast. The service is a religious ceremony of the monks: guests come as quiet participants or observers and follow the concierge’s instructions, and the hall can be cold.

When to go

The temple receives guests through the year. Winter brings deep snow to this coast, and autumn colours the valley. During certain training periods the temple changes the morning service or does not admit guests to ceremonies, so check dates.

Getting there

Fukui has been on the shinkansen network since March 2024. The temple is reached from the city by road.

Good to know

This is an introduction, not a retreat: no one is asked to keep silence or to work. Guests who want the morning service should ask the Zen concierge in advance, by check-in on the previous day. Programmes, service times and whether they are offered in English should be confirmed when booking; some of the guided experiences have been available in Japanese only. Visitors who are not staying at the inn can also join the temple’s own visitor programmes by reservation, which should be checked with the temple.

Why OKYTO recommends it

It is Zen practice in the place where it is still carried on, with instruction, and with a proper bed and bath afterwards.