More than anything, we hope to contribute in some ways to reduce suffering in the world, and increase sustainable happiness.
All guests from a variety of backgrounds are welcome, regardless of nationality, religion, race, gender, orientation, etc. Nobody has to be a Buddhist to participate, but some Buddhist principles are at the core of our project’s values. Senju Kannon, pictured on the right is said to be a perfection of compassion. Senju Kannon is said to have 1000 eyes to see all the different forms of suffering in the world, and 1000 arms with various tools to help each person according to their own needs, balancing compassion and wisdom.
We hope to bring a variety of experiences to people which provide not only deeper understanding of Japan’s culture, symbols, history, and environment, but also some of the beautiful contemplative tools that can help improve dimensions of our lives and our interactions with those around us.
Inward Japan Journeys is an initiative within the KYOEN organization
Extraordinary, Heart-Based Experiences
The average tour in or around Japan might rush through several places in a day with many beautiful visuals, but relatively little explanation, leaving people exhausted by the end of the trip. INSTEAD, we aim to provide experiences that both dig deep into the culture, history, symbols, ethics, and contemplative background of Japan’s sacred sites, usually away from the big crowds. We go slowly to really touch the heart of the teachings that developed in these places, and hopefully provide participants with tools and inspiration that they can take back with them into their own daily lives.
Our Core Values
Balancing Compassion and Wisdom. We hope to cultivate and balance these traits in our own hearts first, and that such effort might help us better convey and represent our values with our guests.
Respecting, valuing, and honoring the history and environment of the places we visit. We want to ensure the land and places in which we engage in activities are not harmed. Deepening the value these places represent locally and historically, and communicating that heritage and the ways to properly respect it can help honor the land and historical and sacred sites that we use.
Benefiting the places that provide homes to our experiences. Besides the local temples, shrines, trails, and mountains that host us, we also want to contribute to Kyoto and Japanese tourism in sustainable ways. Showing people the many gems away from the crowds helps local economies that might struggle more, reduce overcrowded areas, and increase awareness of all the not-as-famous sacred gems throughout the Japanese lands. These sorts of mutual benefits to guests and hosts can help nurture roots that help sustain such places for future generations as well.
Your tour, retreat, and workshop leaders
Nathan Jishin Michon
A Shingon Buddhist Priest and Acharya, who previously trained extensively in Zen and Thai Forest traditions. “Jishin” has about 20 years experience guiding meditations. With an MA in comparative religion, a MDiv in Buddhist Chaplaincy, and a PhD in culture and history of religions, and experience teaching in several universities around the world, Jishin has both the academic and insider understandings of Buddhism and Japanese religion. Previously a researcher at Tohoku University and Ryukoku University on Buddhist chaplaincy, Jishin wrote about and volunteered in disaster and crisis care. Their books include Refuge in the Storm: Buddhist Voices in Crisis Careand A Thousand Hands: A Guidebook to Caring for your Buddhist Community. Jishin was also certified as a Clinical Meditation Teacher and enjoys hiking and exploring the many mountain paths of Japan.
“Myokei” Shimomura Tomoki
Ordaining in the Shingon Buddhist tradition, often plowing the fields and growing vegetables, he is a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ who has pursued a wide range of studies. He is a creator who works on the themes of creation, exploration, and education. After graduating from architectural school, he worked in construction management, and then in sales at two venture companies, before creating his own ventures. Besides always learning more about Buddhism, culture, and language, he continues to engage in design and teaching at his local temple and several other organizations. Myokei is an instructor with KYOEN, the creator of Craftgate, and the leader of the Musubi no Kokoro study group.
