Take Home the Practice of Zen Shinsho-ji Zen Museum and Garden

What is “Zen”? To explain its meaning with words alone does not give it the justice it deserves.
Those who follow and practice Zen each have their own way of expressing what it means to them. Once you actually experience Zen, you’ll understand why.

In other words, it’s all about the experience.
It’s through the experience of Zen where you learn what it means to you, where you look inside yourself and realize what it means to be alive in the “here and now.” That kind of inner-understanding can’t be taught through books or teachers, because it's not something you “learn,” but rather experience. In fact, the experience itself holds the true meaning of Zen.

To get your own sense of what Zen means to you, we have prepared seven Zen practices here at “Shinshō-ji Zen Museum and Garden.” Experiences like drinking tea, observing and practicing Zen calligraphy, cleansing your mind and body, and walking through a garden, will give you different ways to see, feel, and get to know your own Zen.

In order to do so, we want you to turn your focus away from difficult concepts like, What is Zen, but rather let the experience of unraveling the meaning of Zen lead you towards your own inner journey.

Maybe, you’ll find a part of yourself that you didn’t know was there before.
If you’d like, we hope you’ll take this experience back home with you and weave Zen practice into your daily life. But most importantly, we hope you find what Zen means to you.

So, let’s start the journey of the Zen and Garden Museum.

The Seven Inner-Journeys
※ General visitors listen to #1, ☆, #3 and #7 (1,500 yen)
※ Other visitors have access to the sutra scribe, udon, cafe, and bath. Please listen to all sections (4,800 yen)

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