Zen temple in Kyoto welcomes visitors to its meditation space
![JAPAN NEWS-YOMIURI
The Zen meditation hall in Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto is the oldest and largest in the country.](https://staradvertiser.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/web1_japan-temple-42a3ca8e-387f-11ee-a3c0-f4e60791030e.jpg)
JAPAN NEWS-YOMIURI
The Zen meditation hall in Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto is the oldest and largest in the country.
KYOTO, Japan >> Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto features a large Zen meditation space that spans about 200 square meters. On Sunday mornings, the sound of a priest using a stick to strike the shoulders of zazen meditators echoes through the historic facility, counterpointing the tranquil, senko incense-infused atmosphere.
The 14th-century hall is the largest and oldest of its kind existing in the country. Most Sundays, people gather to meditate in the space from 6:30 a.m. With the easing of measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable uptick in the number of tourists and foreign people taking part in recent sessions.
At such gatherings, a priest informs participants about zazen practices. Attendees then sit cross-legged on the floor with their eyes half-closed and meditate until an incense stick burns out.
“I was thinking about so many different things each day, and I craved a moment of clarity,” said a 24-year-old Kyoto-based artist who has been taking part in the sessions for five months. “I feel that the time I spend here is important.”