Osaka: Zen Temple, Calligraphy & Japanese Culture
Description
Find Peace of Mind and Spirit at Saisho-ji Temple Begin your experience by offering a coin and practicing seated meditation to quiet your thoughts. Then, express your gratitude to the Buddha through a traditional burning of incense. The highlight of the experience is shakyo—the meditative practice of hand-copying Buddhist scripture. Refresh yourself with a cup of Japanese green tea as you slowly and mindfully trace each character with a brush, embracing a moment of inner tranquility. To complete the ritual, gently pass your calligraphy sheet through incense smoke— purifying the writing and symbolizing a step closer to the world of Buddha. Finally, capture the memory of the experience with a polaroid photo (cheki) and a traditional temple stamp (goshuin) to take with you as a spiritual souvenir of your journey!
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(32)
I joined this experience while accompanying a friend, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip to Japan. The instructor carefully explained the fundamentals of Japanese calligraphy, including the proper techniques and traditional etiquette. We started with practice exercises, which made it easy even for beginners to feel comfortable and improve step by step. By the time I completed my final piece, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out. One of the best parts was being able to create a finished work on a decorative board and take it home as a keepsake. It felt much more meaningful than buying a typical souvenir, as it was something I had made myself while experiencing an important aspect of Japanese culture. I would highly recommend this activity to anyone visiting Japan who is interested in traditional culture and wants to create a unique and memorable souvenir from their trip.
An experience blessed with wonder!
We had a fantastic time at the temple practising calligraphy, the people were lovely, they gave us a gift at the end and were so kind and patient. We would definitely recommend this to anyone, without a doubt. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the calligraphy experience at our temple. It was a true pleasure hosting you! Your enthusiasm and warm personality brought a beautiful energy to the session. We are also so glad that you liked the little gift. Your kind words and recommendation mean the world to our team. If your travels ever bring you back to Japan, please feel free to visit us again. We would love to welcome you back anytime!
This was extremely informative, information on Osaka and great calligraphy instruction. This experience was based at a little temple which is tucked away. I would highly recommend this.
Thank you so much for your kind review! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed learning about Osaka’s culture and the calligraphy instruction. It was a pleasure to host you at our quiet temple. I'm glad you found the hidden atmosphere special. I hope the peace you found here stays with you. Hope to see you again!
A very special morning spent in a temple with two charming instructors. We were treated to green tea and snacks. Then introductions, history and a meditation, before a tutorial of basic Kanji calligraphy. We then got to have a go ourselves taking home our creations and photos as souvenirs. Highly recommend.
Thank you so much for such a lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed the green tea, meditation, and the calligraphy lesson. It was a pleasure sharing the history of the temple with you. We’re happy that your handmade kanji art and photos became special souvenirs of your morning in Osaka. We hope to see you again someday!
Amazing learning experience
Thank you for your wonderful review! I'm so happy to hear that you had a fun and wholesome time. It was a pleasure helping you get a glimpse into the world of Japanese calligraphy and our culture. I hope the experience left you with great memories of your trip. Thank you for coming!
Even Japanese people enjoyed the first experience! You need to spend some time relaxing like this! Thank you very much 😊
素敵な口コミをいただき、ありがとうございます！ 日本人の方にもそのように言っていただけて、大変光栄です。 お寺という静かな空間で墨の香りに包まれると、日常とは違う穏やかな時間が流れますよね。 「ゆったりした時間の必要性」を感じていただけたことが、何より嬉しいです。 またいつでも心を整えに、遊びにいらしてくださいね。お待ちしております！
My son's 11 and 15 both really enjoyed this experience. It was just the right amount of mediation for them, and great information and instruction on Calligraphy. The teachers were very nice.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I am so happy to hear that both your sons enjoyed the experience. It’s great to know that the meditation and calligraphy instruction were just right for their ages. They did a great job! It was a pleasure hosting your family at our temple. I hope you all have a wonderful trip in Japan!
They taught me Japanese culture and how to write kanji characters. After this experience, gave me small gift :)
Thank you for your kind review! We’re delighted you enjoyed learning about Japanese culture and writing kanji. We’re also happy that you liked the small gift. We hope to welcome you again soon!
I had an amazing experience, practicing Japanese Kanji writing, and immersing myself in Japanese/Osaka culture while drinking tea :) The staff is adorable, it was an overall great time.
I had an amazing experience, practicing Japanese Kanji writing, and immersing myself in Japanese/Osaka culture while drinking tea :) The staff is adorable, it was an overall great time.
