Schedule

The actual work changes considerably depending on the season, but the schedule for April to December is like this:

Communication is important in a community where the 24 hours of the day are practiced all together. Even if you do not speak Japanese, try to listen to the others very carefully with your heart. Do not expect everyone to understand your English.

Everyone will perform the same activities during the day, including zazen, cleaning, work, meals, bath, in the same way, so watch what the others do and try to fit in harmoniously. You are not supposed to create a schedule of your own.

During breaks or on free days you might be expected to help in the kitchen or do other jobs around the temple. This might be part of the training for the full-time position (in the cooking rotation for example).

From January to March, because of the heavy winter snow, there will be no work outside. Instead the practioners study and take turns giving dharma talks (in Japanese). Please come to Antaiji already in early spring if you want to participate in the study period in winter, so that you will be familiar with the situation here to a certain degree.