Hidden Wonders | Meditate Under a Waterfall in Tokyo's Mountain Retreat

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At Tenkoji Temple in Hinohara Village, Tokyo, visitors can experience ascetic training such as takigyo — meditating under a waterfall. On August 9, the first day of the three-day holiday, I decided to try it for myself. When I arrived, I saw participants refreshing their minds and bodies, worn out from the recent heat, under the cold waterfall.

*Usukiyama Tenkoji Temple in Hinohara Village, Tokyo.*

Hinohara Village, located in western Tokyo on the border with Yamanashi Prefecture, is a small mountain village of around 2,000 people. Its lush natural surroundings have earned it the nickname "Tokyo's inner retreat." Tenkoji Temple, part of the Shingon Buddhist tradition, offers a variety of training experiences, including takigyo, meditation, sutra copying, and corporate retreats.

*Participants chanted sutras and studied Buddhist teachings before the waterfall meditation.*

Preparations

Takigyo is a practice meant to look inward with a clear mind and rid oneself of worldly desires. On this day, about 40 participants of all ages took part.

*Participants performing the ohyakudo mairi, which involves running barefoot for about 10 minutes.*

Before heading to the waterfall, we practiced the proper rituals at the temple, chanted sutras, purified ourselves with salt and sake, and performed an "ohyakudo mairi," walking back and forth 100 times as an act of devotion.

*Participants being purified with salt and sake.*

*Participants practicing ritual postures before meditation.*

Reaching the Waterfall

The waterfall is about a 20-minute journey from the temple, combining car travel and walking. The mountain trail is partly unpaved, so we carefully navigated uneven rocks and vegetation along the way.

*Participants walk along the mountain trail.*

When the takigyo began, participants chanted Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo — a devotion to the great monk Kukai — as they stood under the waterfall, letting the water pour over their entire bodies. Others waiting nearby chanted along to encourage them.

*Participants stand under the waterfall while chanting sutras.*

Reflections and Reactions

After about two minutes, most participants emerged smiling, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "The goal of takigyo is also to restore one's natural state," explained Seiken Takao, the temple's head priest.

*Some participants came with their family or friends.*

First-time participants Ayari Izuka and Rena Kato said, "It was tough, but I'd like to do it again," and "With the recent hot days, it was a refreshing way to cool down."

While I had expected the force of the water and the sting on my skin to be the hardest part, the cold was actually more challenging. Starting the meditation late, at 5 PM, made the chill even more biting, and I couldn't stop shivering. Yet afterward, the experience felt strangely rewarding.