Shunkō-in

Shunkoin Temple possesses many important artistic and cultural properties related to Zen Buddhism, and also has a deep connection with Shinto and Christianity. Shunkoin Temple is located inside of Myoshinji Temple (the Myoshinji temple complex) and was established in 1590 by Horio Yoshiharu, a feudal load in the 16th century. The temple houses the historic artifacts, like the screen paintings by Kano Eigaku and the Bell of Nanbanji Church, which is one of the oldest Christian bell in Japan. frequent visitor of the temple and discussed Zen Buddhism with Dr. Hisamatsu. Please tell taxi driver to take you to the north main gate of Myoshinji Temple (Myoshinji-kitamon) on Ichijo Street. Shunkoin Temple is inside of Myoshinji Temple (the Myoshinji temple complex). The temple is about 150 meters from the north main gate. SHUNKO-IN TEMPLE in Myoshinji Temple. Take the JR Sagano line from Kyoto Station to Hanazono Station (10-15 min.). The south gate of the Myoshin-ji Temple complex is a short walk from the station. Take Kyoto City Bus 26 from Kyoto Station or Shijo Karasuma, and get off at Myoshinji Kitamon-mae bus stop (30-40 min.). Take Kyoto Bus 61, 62 or 63 from Sanjo Keihan and get off at Myoshinji-mae bus stop (30-40 min.). I travel the world giving talks about Zen, other Eastern philosophies and well-being, and leading workshops about self-cultivation. I hope that the message that I put forth in these talks can find fertile ground and help fulfill people’s lives. My travels and talks have brought me to the likes of MIT, Brown University, Eton College, Microsoft, TEDx, and Mind & Life Institute. I am always seeking out new opportunities to communicate with other organizations. Please take a moment to view some of these talks, and if you are interested in holding such a talk or workshop, feel free to contact me. Same-sex marriage remains illegal in Japan, but a Buddhist priest in Kyoto is among those pushing for change. Taka Kawakami is among the first in his country to perform wedding ceremonies for homosexual couples. Lecturer, Zen and mindfulness workshop at Antioch University, Los Angeles (Aug. 2013, Aug. 2014, Aug. 2015, Aug. 2016) Lecturer, Zen and Mindfulness, Harvard Business School, MIT, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, University of California Berkeley, Washington University, Emory University, IESE at Shunkoin Temple Lecturer, LGBTQ and religion, Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo (Jan. 2015) Panelist, International Student Forum, hosted by Ritsumeikan Uji High School (Feb. 2012 and Feb. 2013) Speaker, Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (Jul. 2012) For recent updates on Shunkoin and Rev. Taka Kawakami, please see our updates page.