Experience the Soul of Japan: Stay in a Private Temple in Kyoto

A portion of the program fees will be used to preserve cultural properties, to help ensure that Japanese culture is preserved and passed on to future generations. The first program will focus on Zen Buddhism, an important element of Japanese culture, and will include zazen meditation, chanting of sutras, and a tea ceremony.

The Host organization is The Nippon Foundation and Co-host organizations include NPO Kyoto Culture Association Cooperative organizations, Hyatt Regency Kyoto, Kyoto National Museum, Kaihouji temple, Kouunji temple, Shinnyoji temple, Daijiin temple, Youmeiin temple.

Kaihouji temple

Kaihouji temple: 20 Momoyama-cho Masamune, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto city A temple of Obaku Zen Buddhism.

Fukujusan Kaihouji temple, a temple of Obaku Zen Bhddhism is famous for Fucha ryori (Chinese-style vegetarian cuisine) which Ingen Ryuki Zenji, a founder of Manpukuji temple * had introduced from China. Kaihouji temple is also known as a “School of Fucha”. The temple was built by Koudou Gencho Zenzi, the twelfth generation head monk of Manpukuji temple, during the Kyoho period (1716 - 1736)and also the temple had became the retreat of Jikuan Jyoin, the thirteenth generation head monk of Manpukuji temple. Simomura Hikoemon Syokei, a founder of Daimonjiya*, a kimono merchant located in fushimi area Kyoto, had became a follower of Jikuan Zenzi and therefore he built a Garan (a main building of the temple) as an offering to the temple. Simomura's house was moved to the temple and rebuilt as the abbot's chamber.

Kouunji temple

Kouunji temple: 59 Nanzenji Kitanobou-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto city A sub temple of Nanzenji temple, the head temple of Nanzenji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

A private Zen temple (not open to the public) where is popular for its Chisen Kaiyu style garden (Japanese garden with a path around a central pond and spring). The garden benefits from the scenery of Higashiyama area. Visitors will be able to touch the real Zen experience by placing themselves in a life of Zen Buddhist monk.

It is a sub temple of the Nanzenji temple, the head temple of Nanzenji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Sango, a honorific mountain name prefixed to a temple's name is Reishizan. It was located in Settsu (Osaka), in 1664 the emperor Go Mizu no O and the empress Tofuku Mon In (granddaughter of the general Tokugawa Ieyasu) who were devouts of Eichu, a monk of the Nanzenji temple, moved the temple to today's site. The principal Buddhist statues are Tofuku Mon In's Shaka Nyorai and Kannon.The successive imperial families valued the temple and it became Kuni no Miya ke's family temple. The land of the temple was once huge, but it was minimized because of the revolution occurred in Meiji period.Other than the statues above, there are statues of Anan and Kasho, disciples of Shaka, and also statue of Tofuku Mon In, in the Main hall.The garden located at the south area of a study room (Japanese traditional architecture called Sho-in) was designed by Ogawa Jihei, a garden designer during the Showa period.This noted Chisen Kaiyu style garden's water comes from the Biwa lake canal and the garden benefits from the scenery of Higashiyama area. At the northeast area of the garden, there is a famous Agate basin came from Korea. In addition, there is a grave of Akiko imperial princess, (princess of emperor Go Mizu no O) at the back area of the temple and a grave of Kuni no Miya Ke at the north area from the temple's gate.

Shinnyoji temple

Shinnyoji temple: 61 Toujiin Kita-cho, Kita-ku Kyoto city A sub temple of Shokokuji temple, the head temple of Shokokuji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

Shinnyo-ji was founded in 1342 by the eminent Zen master Musō Soseki, with the support of Ashikaga Tadayoshi (brother of the shogun Ashikaga Takauji) and Kōno Moronao (Takauji's chief deputy). It is presently associated with the Shōkoku-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, and has close historical ties with Rokuon-ji (the Golden Pavilion) and Jishō-ji (the Silver Pavilion). At its height Shinnyo-ji possessed six subtemples and, as part of the Five Mountains and Ten Monasteries system, was counted among the top-ranked Zen temples of Kyoto.

Daijiin temple: 4-1 Murasakino Daitokuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto city A sub temple of Daitokuji temple, the head temple of Daitokuji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

A private Zen temple (not open to the public) which is not open to the public, has a beautiful Karesansui garden beyond its elegant tea room. Visitors will be able to touch the real Zen experience by placing themselves in a life of Zen Buddhist monk.

Daijiin is a sub temple of Daitokuji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism. The founder is Tenshuku Sougen. The temple was built in 1585, by Kenshoin (family of Otomo Sourin), Anyoin, (sister of Oda Nobunaga), Murakami Suounokami Yoshiaki and Yamaguchi Sama Hirosada. Although the temple suffered from the earthquake happened in 1830, it was re-built in 1847 by using old materials. A monument of Murasakishikibu, which locates in the front garden of the Daijiin' s main hall, was originally planned to build at the side of her grave in 1795. However, the monument was built in Hekigyoku-an, other sub temple of Daitokuji temple and when the temple was closed because of the the Meiji Restoration, it was moved to Daijiin temple. Also a mortuary tablet, grave and a portrait of Tachibana Muneshige was moved to Daijiin temple. In the Daijiin temple, there is a tea room called Ton-an which was built by Seisai, 12th head family of the Omote Senke and Ennosai, 13th head family of Ura Senke in 1924.

Youmeiin temple

Youmeiin temple: 60 Saga Tenryuji Susukinobaba-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto city A sub temple of Tenryuji temple, the head temple of Tenryuji sect of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

A private Zen temple (not open to the public) which locates at the land of UNESCO World Heritage, Tenryuji temple. Visitors will be able to touch the real Zen experience by placing themselves in a life of Zen Buddhist monk.

Youmeiin is a sub temple of Tenryuji temple*. Taigaku Shuusou zenzi, a Buddhism grandchild of Muso Kokushi* founded the Youmeiin in 1413. Although the temple was destroyed by fire caused by war of Onin in 1467, same as Tenryuji temple, Mizuno Kawachimori Morinobu, the head of Tokoname domain and also who worked at the center of Edo government, had rebuilt the temple. During the Edo period, the temple was Mizuno's family temple. In 1864, the temple was also destroyed by fire of conspiracy of Hamaguri-gomon Gate*, donation from Yamaguchi Gendo, who revived many temples and shrines from Taisho to Showa era, and also cooperation of other followers revived the temple. The temple deifies Ebisu Sonshin, the god of wealth, one of the Tenryuji temple's Seven Gods of Good Fortune.

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Inquiries about reservations: HYATT REGENCY KYOTO, Tokyo Sales Office Kei Takahashi 7th Akiyama Building 7F, 5-3 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, JAPAN TEL: +81-3-3222-3650 FAX: +81-3-3222-0390. Email: kei.takahashi@hyatt.com