Heritage Experiences

Kyoto Zen Meditation and Garden Tour with Shojin Lunch at Historic Temple

Name: Kyoto Zen Meditation and Garden Tour with Shojin Lunch at Historic Temple
Start: 2026-07-16T10:30:00
End: 2026-07-16T14:30:00
Location: KYOTO

kyoto zen meditation and garden tour with shojin lunch at historic temple-2

kyoto zen meditation and garden tour with shojin lunch at historic temple-3

kyoto zen meditation and garden tour with shojin lunch at historic temple-4

kyoto zen meditation and garden tour with shojin lunch at historic temple-5

Duration

4 hrs

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

Meals included

Indulge in a sumptuous meal as a part of your experience

Experience authentic Zen meditation and stroll through tranquil temple gardens with a certified local guide in Kyoto.
Step inside Tofukuji Temple, one of Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, rich with 13th-century heritage and tradition.
Savor a Shojin vegetarian meal, a culinary tradition rooted in Zen Buddhist philosophy, at a local restaurant.
Receive photos taken during your journey, capturing serene moments and memories from the tour.

Lunch
Shojin traditional meal
Zazen meditation experience (1 hour)
Entrance fee of all venues visited
Certified local guide
Photos during the tour

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Join a tour by MagicalTrip, proud winner of the Tripadvisor Best of the Best Award. Each experience is led by a MagicalTrip Certified Guide, professionally trained and carefully selected to ensure quality and authenticity.

What does Zen truly mean? On this tour, a local guide introduces you to the essence of Zen before meditation begins. Start by visiting a serene Zen garden, where you’ll learn how Zen principles are expressed through garden design and how to appreciate them in a calm, mindful way.

Next, visit Tofukuji Temple, one of Kyoto’s five great Zen temples with a history dating back to the 13th century. After exploring the grounds, continue to a smaller temple within Tofukuji dedicated to zazen practice, where you will take part in an authentic Zen meditation experience.

What to bring

Bring water and wear a hat in summer, as the heat and humidity can be intense.

Wear thick socks in winter because the temple floors can be cold.

What's not allowed

Pets are not permitted on this tour.

Infants must not sit on laps, and infant seats are not available.

Leaning against walls or pillars is not permitted during the tour.

Private conversations are prohibited during the zazen meditation session.

Accessibility

This experience is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

Additional information

The tour ends near Chishaku-in Temple and does not return to the original meeting point.

During the zazen meditation, you will sit for about one hour on a chair without a backrest or directly on tatami mats.

If your tour starts at 10:45am, lunch will be served at 2:15pm after the meditation session, so please eat enough beforehand.

The tour starts on time, and late arrivals cannot join, be refunded, or be rescheduled.

Dietary requests must be made in advance by the day before the tour; no same-day changes are accepted.

Allergy-free or special dietary accommodations cannot be guaranteed.

Anyone over 12 years old can join this tour.

Public transportation is available nearby.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.