Kesennuma Temple Experience with Lunch
Discover the lifestyle of monks at a local temple in Kesennuma, where you’ll enjoy a Zen meditation session followed by a humble cooking class.
Highlights
Be warmly welcomed by friendly local monks
Enjoy the amazing views from the main hall of this Zen temple during a guided meditation session
Explore the grounds of the ancient Seiryoin Temple in Kesennuma and hear stories about its past
Join the monks and learn about Buddhist food as you cook together and enjoy a meal as a family
Experience Details
A region on the northern coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Kesennuma offers a number of rare experiences. Full of unique natural sites and abundant with delicious seafood, Kesennuma also features many temples and shrines, like the 460-year-old Zen temple, Seiryoin. A cultural center for many generations, this local Kesennuma temple is not only historic, but it’s also welcoming and peaceful.
An immersive cultural experience, find out what it’s like living as a Zen monk during this Kesennuma Temple Experience. You’ll have the chance to try meditation, have a tour of the temple grounds, and cook a simple and wholesome lunch. The meal will be made from ingredients given to the monks by the local people they serve in the community, such as fishermen. The monks place an emphasis on using all the ingredients they receive, so as to avoid unnecessary waste. At Seiryoin, they follow a school of Zen Buddhism that is more relaxed, called “Soto,” therefore the monks occasionally eat fish or meat, while other schools of Zen Buddhism avoid all animal products and eat only “Shojin Ryori” (the vegetarian Buddhist cuisine).
The main hall of the temple offers scenic ocean views, where you’ll relax during a Zen meditation session. Your practice will be led by a master monk, whose guidance and openness will put you at ease. Next, you’ll take a guided tour and explore the temple grounds. You’ll hear stories about how Kesennuma was largely destroyed during the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, and how Seiryoin served as an evacuation center for 100 people in the 2 months following the disaster. Having rallied from this tragedy, the monks will talk about lessons learned and how they currently live in peace.
Show your support for local industries in Kesennuma and help the community continue to grow in the wake of the the 2011 tsunami by booking this Kesennuma Temple Experience.
What You Get
Good To Know
- Pleas be reminded to be on time
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
The meeting point is at Kesennuma Station
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 48 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Experience Location
Kesennuma is a stunning city on the Sanriku Coast in Miyagi Prefecture with abundant fishing grounds. Visitors can appreciate its natural beauty and resources by indulging in fresh seafood, climbing Mt. Anba, or kayaking in the sea. One of the largest fishing ports in the Tohoku region, Kesennuma was hit hard by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, a disaster that devastated the local economy and forced many residents to leave and find job opportunities elsewhere. Now, Kesennuma has bounced back with a revitalized local economy and a mission to make the fishing industry more sustainable.
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