About Shinnyo-en

Shinnyo-en is an international Buddhist community originally established in Japan. It traces its roots back to the 1,200-year-old tradition of wisdom and compassion embodied in original Buddhist teachings.

Founded in 1936 by Masters Shinjo and Tomoji Ito, Shinnyo-en welcomes all people regardless of age, gender, nationality, or religious background to develop the buddha, or the awakened nature, within themselves. Today, Shinnyo-en is led by Shinjo and Tomoji’s direct successor, Her Holiness Shinso.

The Buddhist term shinnyo denotes both buddhahood (spiritual awakening) and the nature of reality, while en refers to a borderless garden. Shinnyo-en, thus, is a sacred place where people can take refuge to reach a state of awakening and nurture their inner goodness.

With 100 temples in 16 countries, Shinnyo-en has over one million practitioners globally, actively pursuing the path of Shinnyo through Buddhist services, meditative trainings, and dharma school.

It also continues to spearhead efforts at promoting understanding among nations through humanitarian work such as peace dialogues, environmental and cultural preservation, and disaster relief.