Find Zen with Japan’s Sōtō Buddhist Monks

Immersive, expert-led journeys tailored to individual passions, designed exclusively for private parties and featuring a signature Mandarin Oriental welcome and touches.

Mandarin Oriental has partnered with The Luminaire, who create luxury travel experiences that offer a deeper understanding of the world, to design a collection of transformational journeys for a growing number of our hotels. 

On this five-day journey, designed for guests of Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, travel from Japan’s supersonic capital to the serene tranquillity of the mountainous Fukui region to the west, and gain insight into the beliefs and practices of Sōtō, the country’s largest Zen Buddhist sect.

Sleep and eat in a temple community and immerse in the rhythms of monastic life alongside local monks. Master gurus impart their lifetimes knowledge of Zen, meditation and prayer. Explore the ancient temples and gain practical understanding of the fundamentals of Sōtō Zen Buddhism. Learn how to transmute the core principles of this ancient, spiritual belief into everyday life. 

• Day 1. Stay at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo in the Nihonbashi district. Enjoy an evening at one of the hotel’s many acclaimed restaurants or unwind in the wellness suite.
• Day 2. Escape the city for the scenic mountains and cedar forest, meeting a Master Guru to discover the hidden secrets of the temple. Discover the traditions of Zen with an expert guide and embrace the practises of prayer and meditation. Sleep in authentic temple sleeping quarters used by monks, immersing in the rhythms of monastic life alongside local monks.
• Day 3. Discover traditional products of the region, visiting the Kokouryo Sake Brewery guided by a member of the Mizuno family and enjoy a locally sourced menu. Visit a farm tended by monks and meet the local rural community and make a traditional meditation cushion essential for the practise of zazen meditation.
• Day 4. Journey to Kippoji temple, a serene spiritual location, for a private tour guided by a monk and see the stone on which Master Dogen once meditated. Learn the secrets of vegetarian temple cooking and dine with Buddhist practitioners, before exploring the foundations of Zazen seated meditation.
• Day 5. After breakfast at Benoya Mukayu, meet your driver and travel to Komatsu Airport. Take a return flight to Tokyo Haneda Airport, before departing Japan.

This 5-day experience is subject to availability, from £11,925 per person, including 1 night at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, 2 nights at Eiheiji Hakujukan temple stay, and 1 night at Beniya Mukayu luxury ryokan.