Tracing hidden resonance of Japan
Peaceful Mind with Zen and Tea ーSeasonal Retreat 2026
Three Days of Stillness
at Daiji-in, Daitoku-ji Temple, Kyoto
− Stepping inward, within the serene enclosure of a Zen sub-temple −
Dates
October 6–8, 2026
Venue
Daiji-in, Daitoku-ji Temple, Kyoto
Participants
Limited to 8
THE RETREAT
An immersion into presence, in a place where stillness simply exists.
Limited to eight participants, this three-day retreat offers a rare opportunity to step away from the rhythms of daily life and enter a space of quiet, concentrated presence.
This year, the retreat takes place at Daiji-in, the personal temple of our Zen guide, Seizan Toda, within the ancient precinct of Daitoku-ji in Kyoto. The stillness here is not arranged. It simply exists. A different quality of air, a different passage of time.
To practice where Seizan himself lives and tends to the way offers something no commercial setting can.
His approach begins with the body, making Zen tangible and Wabicha something directly lived, a return to what was always essential.
This is not a retreat you attend, but a relationship you enter. What you take home will be yours alone.
The stillness of these three days is quiet but profound. Long after returning to daily life, something of it remains, not as memory alone, but as a gentle familiarity with your own peaceful mind.
THE VENUE
Daiji-in is a sub-temple within the vast precinct of Daitoku-ji Temple, a Rinzai Zen complex in northern Kyoto founded in 1315 — one of Japan's most important seats of Zen Buddhism. It was here that the Zen master Ikkyu taught Murata Shuko, planting the seeds of Wabicha — the Way of Tea rooted in simplicity and
presence. That bond between Zen and tea has never left this place.
For centuries, the temple also drew the great feudal lords of Japan, who commissioned sub-temples within its walls — leaving behind extraordinary dry-landscape gardens, fine architecture,
and a depth of history that still shapes the atmosphere today.
To step inside is to enter a different quality of time. Though situated within Kyoto city, the noise of the city does not reach here. The air is cooler, the pace slower. There is a particular stillness to this place — one that is not arranged or performed,
but simply present, as it has been for generations.
This is where Seizan lives and quietly carries on his life. To be welcomed here as a guest — to sit, to practice, to share a meal — is to touch something that most visitors to Kyoto never encounter.
A MESSAGE FROM SEIZAN
Following last autumn’s retreat, we will gather once again this year, this time at Daiji-in.
With only eight participants, there will be time to sit together quietly and to converse with each of you, allowing us to share time more fully.
We live in a time of rapid change and endless information.
During your travels in Japan, I hope these three days in the temple may offer a chance to slow down and find quiet within.
I look forward to welcoming you.
— Seizan Toda
SCHEDULE
Three days, and the option of a fourth.
Each day at Daiji-in begins before the light has fully settled. Mornings open with morning sutra chanting and Zazen
(seated Zen meditation), followed by a simple bowl of o-kayu — the traditional rice porridge of temple life.
The days move through gentle body work, Zazen, the Way of Tea, and quiet reflection, with open conversation with Seizan woven throughout. Time is also given to the simple chores of temple life — in Zen, an inseparable part of the practice.
On one day, lunch may be prepared together using fresh ingredients from Seizan's own garden — a simple act that is, in
the Zen tradition, a practice in itself.
Oct 6 · Day 1
10:00 – 17:00
Opening · Introduction
Oct 7 · Day 2
6:00 - 15:00
Oct 8 · Day 3
6:00 - 15:00
Gentle Reflection · Closing
Oct 9 · Day 4
Optional excursion
Northern Lake Biwa
— see below
HIGHLIGHTS
-
Embodied Zen practice
Guided by Seizan Toda in his own temple — a practice
that begins in the body, opens into stillness, and offers something tangible to carry back into daily life.
-
Wabicha: the Way of Tea
Settled time in a traditional tea room — not to master the form, but to meet the essence of Wabicha: stillness, impermanence, and the quiet fullness surrounding a single bowl of tea.
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A living Zen temple
Practice within the ancient precincts of Daitoku-ji Temple — not a preserved monument, but a living temple where Zen remains part of the fabric of daily life, as it has for over 500 years.
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Intimate and unhurried
Limited to 8 participants — a size that allows true intimacy. Space to be met where you are, to move at your own pace,
and to receive what this practice has to offer you, personally.
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Shared meals as practice
In Zen, the meal is not a break from practice — it is practice. Shared at the temple table with seasonal ingredients and quiet attention, eating becomes an act of gratitude, presence, and simple joy.
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Optional Day 4 excursion
An optional day beyond the city — to Northern Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, a landscape of rare stillness where few travelers ever venture. Timeless scenery, ancient culture,
and the vast patience of Lake Biwa. Approximately 90 minutes
vehicle ride from Kyoto.
OPTIONAL・DAY 4
OPTIONAL ー OCTOBER 9
Northern Lake Biwa Excursion
Where Zen returns to its source.
For those who wish to extend the experience, Day 4 takes us north — by charter vehicle from Kyoto —
the quiet northern reaches of Lake Biwa, where the landscape stills and the ancient Japan comes into view.
Lake Biwa is one of the oldest lakes in the world, its origins stretching back over four million years.
Its northern shore, known as Kohoku, has long held a distinct culture and an unhurried and timeless way of life — a fishing village, ancient shrine, primeval nature, and the vast patience of the lake.
Depending on conditions and the wishes of those joining, the day may include touring kayak on the quietude of the lake, gentle walks through the autumn landscape, and unhurried time in corners of the region that most travelers never reach. The exact program will take shape in conversation with participants to create once in a lifetime encounter carrying on the lingering resonance of the Zen practices from the past couple of days.
Transportation by charter vehicle from Kyoto.
Lunch and any entrance fees at individual cost.
Participation fee to be confirmed once group size is known.
FEES
Retreat fee
Early bird · until June 30
$2,000
USD per person + 10% JCT
Standard · from July
$2,200
USD per person + 10% JCT
A non-refundable 30% deposit is required to secure your place. Places are strictly limited to 8 participants.
INCLUDED
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All retreat sessions and activities with Seizan Toda
-
Traditional monastic rice porridge for breakfast on Day 2 & 3, and shared lunches daily at Daiji-in
-
English interpretation deeply attuned to both the content and the spirit of the practice
-
Curated accommodation recommendations nearby
NOT INCLUDED
-
Accommodation (curated recommendations provided upon request)
-
Dinner and personal expenses
-
Transportation to/from Daiji-in
-
Optional Day 4 excursion
BEYOND THE RETREAT
Extend Your Journey
The retreat pairs beautifully with a wider exploration of Japan. Curate Japan offers tailor-made itinerary curation — before or after the retreat — for those who wish to go further.
Whether a single experience or a full journey, we are happy to help shape it around you.
Feel free to reach out for ideas.
