Week 7: Japanese Waterfall Meditation

One my Japanese friends I made recommended that we should try 滝行 or also known as Japanese waterfall meditation. We went to a rural town about 2 hours outside of metropolitan Tokyo where we had to take a bus and hike halfway up a mountain. From there we had to hike for about 15 minutes until we reached a waterfall. Then everyone would go in groups of 2 or 3 and chant the phrase: namudaishigenjikongo repeatedly while standing under the waterfall. It was quite an uncomfortable experience since the water was ice cold, the waterfall was pounding down your head and back. I believe it this ritual or tradition is to train resilience and build mental strength. Overall, I believe it to be a very unique experience that I will remember quite vividly, looking back at my Japan study abroad experience.

My friends and I standing at the temple before heading to the waterfall.

A picture of us next to the waterfall.