Obaku-san Manpuku-ji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple that offers a serene environment for meditation and contemplation. The temple, founded in the 17th century, has beautiful gardens and a calming atmosphere. When you step inside the temple, you’ll immediately feel a sense of peace and serenity wash over you. You can take part in a Zazen experience led by the temple’s resident monks, or wander through the gardens and enjoy the beauty of nature. Obaku-san Manpuku-ji Temple is the perfect place to escape the chaos of the modern world and find inner peace.
Manpuku-ji Temple
Obaku-san Manpuku-ji is the head temple of the Obaku sect of Zen Buddhism. In 2024, three of its buildings, including the main hall, were designated as National Treasures.
This temple was founded in 1661 by Ingen Ryuki (Yinyuan Longqi), a Chinese Zen Buddhist priest who came to Japan in 1654.
He introduced not only Zen Buddhism but also many things and cultural elements to Japan, such as ingen (common beans) and lotus roots.
One of them, Fucha Ryori (Chinese Buddhist cuisine), can actually be enjoyed at the temple (reservations required). It is characterized by its diverse offerings, with some artfully mimicking other foods, like one that resembles eel. It is fun to experience Chinese culture through food.
Also, the Chinese-style sutra chanting called Bonbai sounds like a song.
The precincts, with their historic buildings, are filled with a Chinese atmosphere. Other impressive sights include the Kaipan (wooden fish board), said to be the original form of mokugyo (a percussion instrument used to keep rhythm during sutra chanting), the golden statue of a deity Hotei Son (Budai), and the statue of Ragora Sonja (Rahula), from whose chest the face of Buddha emerges.
