Zenshuji Soto Mission, established in 1922 in the Little Tokyo section of Los Angeles, California, was the first Soto Zen Buddhist temple in North America. Today, it is the North American headquarters for Soto Zen, under the guidance of Sotoshu Shumucho (the headquarters of Soto Zen in Japan), and is a direct branch of Eiheiji and Sojiji (the two head temples in Japan).
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Zenshuji follows the 2,500 year old teachings of Gautama Buddha as passed down by Koso Dogen Zenji (1200-1253) and Taiso Keizan Zenji (1268-1325) who are recognized as the founding patriarchs of Soto Zen. The essence of Soto Zen was transmitted during the Kamakura Period in Japan approximately eight hundred years ago by Dogen Zenji.
Keizan Zenji further enhanced the School and significantly increased its accessibility and popularity with lay people. In 1244, Dogen Zenji established Eiheiji Temple in present-day Fukui Prefecture. Later, in 1321, Keizan Zenji established Sojiji Temple in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture. Today, Eiheiji and Sojiji still serve as the head temples / monasteries for the Soto Zen school of Buddhism.
In 1922, a few years after attending the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, Rev. Hosen Isobe established the Zenshuji Soto Mission in a Los Angeles apartment. Anti-immigration laws at that time made it extremely difficult for people of Japanese descent to purchase land in the United States. Nonetheless, in 1923, land was purchased and construction of a temple was eventually completed in 1926. In 1927, Zenshuji was recognition as a non-profit organization by the United States. In 1937, Zenshuji formally became the North America Headquarters for Soto Zen and a direct branch of Eiheiji and Sojiji.
During World War II, all Japanese in the West Coast of the United States were sent to detention camps and Zenshuji was temporarily closed. Returning from a detention camp in May 1945, Bishop Daito Suzuki began working energetically to restore Zenshuji. During this time, the temple served as a temporary shelter for members coming home from the camps. Bishop Suzuki’s contributions were significant to the temple’s history and are remembered with appreciation and gratitude.
The popularity of Zen Buddhism boomed in America during the 1950s and 1960s. Many influential figures in Zen have been affiliated with Zenshuji. Rev. Taizan Maezumi (1931-1995), who devoted his life to establishing a foundation of Zen Buddhism in America, was a priest at Zenshuji from 1956 to 1966. Rev. Maezumi later established Zen Center Los Angeles in 1967 and wrote numerous books on Zen. Rev. Dainin Katagiri (1928-1990) served as a priest at Zenshuji from 1963 to 1964 before moving to San Francisco where he assisted Rev. Shunryu Suzuki at the Sokoji Temple and Zen Center San Francisco. Rev. Katagiri went on to become the first Abbot of the Minnesota Zen Center in 1972.
Rev. Koun Yamada served as Bishop of North America at Zenshuji for almost four years prior to his return to Japan to become president of Komazawa University and eventually abbot of Eiheiji.
Another priest that served at Zenshuji during the 1960’s was Dr. Wako Kazumitsu Kato. Dr. Kato went on to teach and hold academic positions at San Francisco State University, University of California, Berkeley, California State University, Los Angeles, and University of California, Los Angeles. He also served as Dean of International Studies at the Nagoya University of Foreign Studies for seven years. Dr. Kato is still actively involved at Zenshuji.
Bishop Kenko Yamashita is also a key figure in Zenshuji’s history; having served as general supervisor for 26 years from the late 60’s through the mid 80’s.
Rev. Daigaku Rummé (Bishop of North America since 2010) keeps an office at Zenshuji and frequently presides over various ceremonies and services at the temple. He is the first American to head a Japanese-American Buddhist temple. Rev. Shumyo Kojima and Rev. Emeritus Gengo Akiba are chartered with Zenshuji's ongoing mission to offer the ethnically diverse area of Los Angeles guidance in the practice of Soto Zen to those interested in satisfying a spiritual, intellectual, or social need.
Located in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, Zenshuji is a stimulating mix of traditional and contemporary practices and activities. Dr. Wako Kato, a priest, professor, and author of numerous books and articles (in both English and Japanese) holds monthly lectures on Buddhism in English. Zazen, the Zen practice of seated mediation, is also held at various times throughout the week in a traditional Japanese Zendo (meditation hall). English and Japanese Buddhist services are conducted on a regular basis in a Hondo (main hall). In addition to the serving the spiritual needs of community, Zenshuji offers its Sangha (congregation) activities that help to preserve popular aspects of Japanese culture such as Taiko drumming, Shakyo (writing sutras in calligraphy), Ikebana (flower arranging), and Sadō (tea ceremony).
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