Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Buddhist monastery in Los Padres National Forest, California
Located southeast of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center sits within a 126-acre mountain property featuring natural hot springs and traditional Japanese baths.
Founded in 1967 by the San Francisco Zen Center, this site became the first Japanese Buddhist Sōtō Zen monastery established in the United States.
The monastery maintains traditional Zen practices including meditation sessions, communal vegetarian meals, and structured daily routines that integrate spiritual development with physical work.
The center welcomes visitors from Memorial Day through Labor Day, while maintaining separate periods for intensive monastic training during spring and fall seasons.
Five dedicated monks protected the monastery during the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, leading to the formation of specialized fire monks trained for wilderness fire defense.
Location: California
Inception: 1967
Website: http://sfzc.org/tassajara
GPS coordinates: 36.36996,-121.59094
Latest update: May 27, 2025 11:35
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