Hanazono University

Hanazono University is located in the ancient city of Kyoto. Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan for over a thousand years, from 794 to 1868. The city is famous for ancient temples and wooden structures that were built in the Heian to Kamakura periods (8th to 14th centuries) and are preserved today in their original splendor. Kyoto is also well known as an academic city filled with students and researchers, with approximately 40 universities and junior colleges located throughout the city.

Hanazono University was established in 1872 by Myoshinji Temple (founded in 1337) of the Rinzai Zen sect of Buddhism. The university is comprised of a Faculty of Letters and a Faculty of Social Welfare that embody the founding “spirit of Zen.”

Students here are taught to develop a “Buddha Mind,” or more specifically the mental and spiritual attitude to the world handed down to us by the Zen master Rinzai. Based on a solid grounding in the rich Rinzai Zen teachings, our students are encouraged to lead full, active lives. As the only university in the world founded on the spirit of Rinzai Zen we offer a uniquely well-rounded education, predicated on the dictum “seek thyself.” This means not just to learn about Western humanism and modern industrialized culture, but to be aware of the full creative and spiritual potential of the self. Such awareness should lead to a view of the world that radiates like the sun to encompass all living beings with understanding and compassion.

Individuals must strive through their own efforts to cultivate this mindfulness without the help of others. The only way to achieve this state is to experience life fully and to pass through many difficulties. To help our students to master the art of mindfulness, every autumn we organize a two-day intensive Zen meditation retreat at a Kyoto Zen temple, known as the “University Retreat Session.”