Antaiji, Japan
A Retreat at a Monastery in Japan
You’ve probably never heard of Antaiji. I hadn’t either, until I started looking for a Zen monastery in Japan that lets practitioners from outside Japan join its retreats.
I spent five nights there, and the point of this post is simply to give a clear picture of what life at the monastery actually looks like. How you get there, what you do during the day, what you eat, what surprised me, and who I think this experience could be a good fit for.
Why Antaiji specifically?
There are quite a few Zen monasteries in Japan, but Antaiji is one of the few places that runs retreats specifically for practitioners from outside Japan. That was one of the main reasons I chose to go there.
If you’re looking to experience an active Zen monastery in the country where Soto Zen originated, in my view this is an excellent option.
How do you get there?
I came from Kyoto.
The trip involves about four hours by train to Hamasaka station, then a bus toward Tottori, and finally about an hour’s walk to the monastery.
Antaiji’s website has detailed, up-to-date directions, so I’d recommend using those before you travel.
How much does it cost?
The retreat I attended cost 55,000 yen for five nights.
The price may change, so it’s always worth checking the current price on Antaiji’s official site.
What does the daily schedule look like?
The daily schedule is fixed and simple.
The day is made up of meditation sittings, meals, cleaning, physical work at the monastery, and a short rest period.
When you’re not sitting in meditation, you work — mostly in the fields or the kitchen, depending on what’s needed that particular day.
The food
The food is very simple.
Most meals were rice, miso soup, and a few small side dishes.
One thing I especially loved was that most of the food comes from what the monastery grows itself. There’s a real sense of connection between the work in the fields and what ends up on your plate afterward.
What’s worth bringing?
I’d recommend bringing:
- Comfortable clothes for meditation.
- Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty doing fieldwork.
- A hat for working in the sun.
- Comfortable shoes.
Beyond that, you don’t need much.
What surprised me?
The gentleness, actually.
Before I arrived I imagined a very rigid monastery with lots of rules and regulations.
In practice I felt an atmosphere far more human than I’d expected. There’s a clear structure, but the way people treated each other was kind, patient, and not rigid at all.
What was hardest for me?
The long meditation sittings, without a doubt.
I actually wrote a separate piece about that part, because for me it was one of the most significant experiences of the retreat. If that interests you, you’re welcome to read it: The Question That Stayed With Me — Pain During Meditation
The moments that stayed with me
Looking back, these are the moments I remember most vividly:
- The work in the fields.
- The landscape surrounding the monastery.
- The ceremonies.
- And the simplicity of life for a few days.
Would I recommend going?
If you’re curious to experience what life at a Zen monastery in Japan looks like, I’d absolutely recommend it.
You don’t need much meditation experience going in, but it does help to arrive with openness, a willingness to do physical work, and a lot of curiosity.
For all the current information on retreats, registration dates, and how to get there, I’d recommend visiting Antaiji’s official site: