About Zen River
A Home for Full-Time Zen Practice
Founded in 2002, Zen River is a pioneering Buddhist temple
located in the rural North of the Netherlands.
A Pilgrimage to the North
The Rural Netherlands
Located on the outskirts of Uithuizen, a small village close to the Wadden Sea, the temple enjoys the spaciousness and tranquillity of the countryside, yet is easily accessible by public transport.
Our Mission
Zen River is dedicated to rooting residential Zen practice in Europe,
and cultivating the creativity that will keep the Buddhist tradition alive for future generations.
Men and Women, Monastics and Lay-People Practising Together
A Community of Practitioners
Over the years, the temple has become a spiritual home for a worldwide community. A dedicated team of residents maintains the year-round training of meditation, study, work and other related practices. Everyone can join for a weekend or longer.
Zen-practice in the West
Lineage & Teachers
Head-Teachers Tenkei and Myoho Roshi are part of the White Plum Lineage. Its founder, Maezumi Roshi, was one of the pioneers who brought Zen from Japan. He received confirmation in three different Rinzai and Soto Lines, making for a uniquely rich and versatile training tradition.
Tradition & Creativity
A Soto-Temple
Zen River is officially registered in the Soto School as an international missionary temple. This means that it can accommodate some of the traditional forms of Zen, while being able to actively experiment with how to adapt the Zen Training to the West.
A Place of Practice
The Temple
The Temple building and grounds provide a secluded and supportive setting for turning our attention inwards.
Cultivating our concentrated awareness, the building increasingly becomes a work of art in its own right. As such, it can turn into a constant reminder to open ourselves to what the things and people around us need.
