Overview
Daisen-ji is a temple of the Soto Zen school located in Machida, western Tokyo. Set in the southern Tama Hills near the border with Kanagawa Prefecture, it is a Zen temple whose calm grounds, stretching back from the main gate, welcome visitors in the manner of the Soto school, which makes seated meditation the pillar of its practice. Amid urbanized Machida, it is a quiet, community-rooted temple where one can pause and settle the mind.
Highlights
- ●The calm main gate and grounds typical of a Soto Zen temple
- ●A setting wrapped in the greenery of the southern Tama Hills in Machida
- ●The tranquil air of the Soto school, devoted to shikantaza meditation
- ●Surrounding nature that offers the colors of all four seasons
History
The Soto school reveres Dogen as its founder and takes as its aim shikantaza, the single-minded practice of just sitting in meditation. Daisen-ji has been cherished by the people of Machida as a local Zen temple carrying on that teaching. Machida long flourished as a hub of traffic, and the fact that a Zen temple has been maintained in such a place hints at the depth of local faith. For the detailed history of its founding, it is best to check official information or on-site signage.
Access
The temple is in Machida, western Tokyo, at roughly 35.60 N, 139.41 E. It lies within the Machida city area near the Kanagawa border, so access is generally by bus or on foot from a station on the Odakyu Line or the JR Yokohama Line. As the surroundings are undulating hill country, checking the latest routes through official sources before visiting is advisable.
Best season
Spring with its cherry blossoms and autumn with its colored leaves are the most pleasant seasons. Machida, in the southern Tama Hills, is a green area, and you can visit while feeling the passing of the seasons on and around the grounds. In summer the shade of the trees brings coolness, while in winter the crisp air brings out the stillness fitting for a Zen temple.
Map
35.5978, 139.4114 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Reach Daisen-ji by bus or on foot from an Odakyu or JR Yokohama Line station
- 2Pass through the gate and spend a quiet moment of prayer on the grounds
- 3Calm the mind while viewing the temple trees and the green Machida hills
- 4Afterward, stroll through Machida and enjoy the hill scenery on your way home
Did you know?
💡 The name Daisen, meaning a great spring, evokes the way teaching and merit well up inexhaustibly, like water gushing from a large spring. Temples named Daisen-ji exist in various places, but this is the Soto Zen temple in Machida. It is distinct from other temples of the same name, so confirm it is the Daisen-ji of Machida when you visit.
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