Tenshin-an in Kamakura

A restaurant, Tenshin-an in Kamakura has a unique Japanese tradisional room for Zen meditation and you can see the beautiful room during the opening hours.

Tenshin-an is located at the front of the Kencho-ji Temple. The shop’s name was from Shodo Yoshida, the head priest of the Kenchou Temple (Rinzai Sect).

The Zen meditation room is all the way back in the restaurant and open the innermost door to see it. ※This is for the meditation only. You cannot have a meal in the room.

Kencho-ji Temple is famous for Kenchin-jiru and it is made with tofu, daikon, carrot and shiitake mushrooms.

The taste is so simple and it doesn't have much taste. But let's enjoy the simple flavor of vegetables with culture of Zen.

Kenchin jiru is a traditional Japanese soup with an origin in Buddhist temples where monks sustain themselves with vegetarian meals.
The reason why the tofu is crushed by hand is that the tofu that the monks dropped was washed by Lanxi and put into the soup.

Even if it is a large plate, it will be returned after it has been cleaned with the leaf of vegetables, etc.  This is a sign of the feeling that we thanked them for leaving them.

The radish (Taku-an) is cuted thinly like paper so that there is no sound even when biting. The “Dining Hall” where you eat is a training place called “San-Modo” along with “Zendo” and “Bathroom” where you can do the zazen, and all sounds other than sutra are prohibited.

There was a Zen teaching that cames from Kenchin-soup and a piece of Takuan.　But don't worry about it. Please just relax and enjoy your meal in the restaurant.

Tenshin-an information

Business Hours : 11:00 - 17:00
General estimate: 2,000 JPY
Lunch estimate: 1,500 JPY

7, Yamanouchi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, 247-0062
Closest Station:
Kita-Kamakura Station
･ JR Yokosuka Line
･ JR Shonan Shinjuku Line

By bus : From JR Kamakura station :  At Terminal No.2 take a bus bound for Kenchoji - Ofuna Station, get off at Kenchoji

20-minute walk from JR Kita-Kamakura station towards Kamakura station.
30-minute walk from JR Kamakura station east exit towards Kita-Kamakura.

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