Olympia Zen Center is a member of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association and the American Zen Teachers' Association.
Our Home Temple, Entsuji
Entsuji is
located on the Inland Sea about half way between Osaka and Hiroshima.
It sits on top of a mountain overlooking the city of Tamashima. The Buddha
Hall has a thatched roof that makes the roof image unique. During the
1700 to 1800's, Entsuji was a vigorous training center where the hermit
poet/priest Ryokan san trained as a young monk under his teacher, Kokusen
Roshi. Kokusen Roshi was a difficult task master whose style of training
was to move heavy stones. Ryokan san was devoted to him and became his
first Dharma heir. As time progressed, Entsuji discontinued its training
program and became a pilgrimage temple and site for honoring Ryokan
san, who became Japan's beloved saint.
Today, Entsuji has an active community of lay practitioners and groups who study the life of Ryokan san. It is an active temple, receiving hundreds of visitors every week from all over the world. There is a large park adjacent to the temple with massive stone work that carries the imprint of Ryokan san's most famous poems. Entsuji celebrated its 400th anniversary in October, 1998.