Welcome! Here’s everything you need for your first Sunday with us.
New student orientation is required
On your first visit, please arrive early for a short orientation:
- 8:00 session: arrive at the Upper House by 7:45 am
- 9:00 session: meet us at the Office gate by 8:50 am (top of the parking lot, pictured below). Arriving after 8:50 and no one’s at the gate? Head straight up to the Upper House.
Allow time for parking and the walk up the hill. Once zazen begins, no one can enter the zendo.
1. Register (one time)
We don’t accept walk-ins. Register as a student so you’ll receive our weekly reservation form. It’s free. See how to join →
2. Reserve your seat each week
Each week we email a reservation form to registered students. Reservations close Saturday at 5:30 pm. Space is limited, so if you reserve but can’t come, please email info@hakone-zendo.org so someone else can have your seat.
3. Choose a session
- 8:00–8:50 am: 40 minutes of continuous sitting, with keisaku and sharing
- 9:00–9:50 am: two 20-minute sittings with a short break. No keisaku or sharing.
4. What to wear
Long pants, socks (white preferred), and a shirt with sleeves. No tank tops, shorts, skirts, hats (except in winter), bare feet, pets, earphones, or perfume. See Dress & Etiquette →
Forgot something? Let the person taking attendance at the gate know.
5. Getting there
We meet in the Upper House, on the slope of Moon Viewing Hill at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga. Map to Hakone Gardens
Parking is free. Your reservation lets you into Hakone Gardens for meditation only. Please don’t wander around the garden. Go straight to the Upper House, and head straight back out afterward.
Step 1. The entrance is at the upper part of the parking lot. Look for the gate marked “Office.” 9:00 sitting: please wait here. Someone will be at the gate taking attendance. New students, be here by 8:50 am. Arriving after 8:50 and no one’s at the gate? Head straight up to the Upper House.
Step 2. Go through the second gate directly in front of you.
Step 3. Follow the path uphill to the Upper House.
Step 4. Our zendo is inside the Upper House.
6. When you get to the Upper House
- Take off your shoes and line them up neatly.
- Silence your phone. Leave your bags and belongings with your shoes.
- Wait for a volunteer. Step inside, but stop before the tatami room.
A volunteer will guide you through the next steps. Just follow along.
Entering the zendo
4. Bow, then step in. Put your hands together and bow at the entrance. Then step onto the tatami with your left foot.
5. Don’t step on the black edges. Step over the black trim on the tatami. It’s delicate and costly to repair.
6. Take your seat.
a. Move the round and small cushions to the back of the big cushion. Bow.
b. Turn around and bow to the others.
c. Step back onto the big cushion and sit down.
Once you’re seated, a volunteer will show you how to sit and how we practice together. Questions? Just ask any volunteer.
Want a head start? Read How We Meditate before your first visit.
7. Dana (donation)
There’s no fee. Our zazen-kai is supported by dana (donations) from students, which cover costs like space rental and supplies. You’ll find a donation basket outside the zendo, or you can donate online.
