Eiheiji Temple

One of Japan's two head temples of Soto Zen Buddhism, Eiheiji is an active training monastery deep in the cedar forests of Fukui Prefecture. Around 150 monks live and practice here, following a rigorous daily schedule rooted in the 13th-century teachings of founder Dogen. Visitors walk through the seven main halls (shichido garan) connected by covered corridors: the Sanmon gate (1749, the oldest building), the Butsuden (Buddha Hall) where prayers for world peace are offered, the Hatto (Dharma Hall) for lectures, the Sodo (Monks' Hall) where trainees meditate and sleep, the Daikuin (kitchen and administrative building) with its massive cooking hearths, and the Yokushitsu (bathhouse) where monks follow strict traditional bathing rules. The complex feels like a living museum of Zen practice. The approach through towering 700-year-old cedars sets a contemplative tone. Early morning visits may coincide with chanting.