Blog

In Chozen-ji’s canon, Omori Sogen delivers the powerful and concise line, “Zen without the accompanying physical experience is nothing but empty discussion.” This directive continues to set Chozen-ji apart in a world that is leaning more toward talking, online content, and intellectual discourse.

In the first half of 2026, Chozen-ji hosted several community outreach programs and events—including the fifth cohort of Zen & Politics: The Way of Public Leadership, the launch of the Hawaiian-language Eddie Kamae Songbook, and a book launch and signing for Removed by Force: The Eviction of Hawaii’s Japanese Americans During World War II.

Our recent Rohatsu sesshin was well attended, with 21 participants who were led by jiki Nalani Kaku. This sesshin was organized around dedicated training time in the arts with groups putting in extra sessions training in kyudo, hojo, boxing, hula, aikido and tai chi.

50 years ago this March, Chozen-ji moved into the 2.5 acres of land in Kalihi Valley that we still call home to this day. Tanouye Roshi had inspired some of the original members to take personal risk and put their houses up as collateral to secure the loan for the land. This deep commitment commenced an intensive period of building–of both the physical structures and the community of Chozen-ji.

Our recent Rohatsu sesshin was well attended, with 21 participants who were led by jiki Nalani Kaku.

This year's Zen Art Show was a big success, thanks to the many dojo teachers, priests and students who contributed art work, and the more than 50 regularly training students who volunteered

The executive leadership team of local, employee-owned construction supply company, HPM, returned this year for a second strategic business review at Chozen-ji. We also hosted a variety of other groups this fall and winter, exposing them to Zen training through the body and helping them develop new perspectives.

At this year’s summer sesshin, Chozen-ji Abbot Sayama Daian Roshi’s teisho was based on Omori Sogen Rotaishi’s commentary on the Ten Oxherding Pictures.  As he explained, there is no gradual path to the sudden enlightenment of Rinzai Zen, but nevertheless, the Ten Oxherding Pictures are a guide to students through its depiction of ten stages of self-development, in which the ox symbolizes the True Self.  

Our recent Rohatsu sesshin was well attended with 23 participants. We were led by jiki Jackson Sayama, and the group included five first time participants.

In anticipation of the Boxing Sesshin with Michele Aboro in October 2025, Chozen-ji offered an intensive training week in July for serious boxing students and an introduction to Zen & Boxing at the Gopa Boxing Gym in Oakland, California.

In February, 10 people came together from all over—from New York to Australia—to participate in a Zen & Japanese Woodworking workshop at the Dojo. In July, three local dojo members flew to Maine to participate in a larger timber framing project for the construction of a two-story blacksmith's workshop. Japanese carpentry continues to be practiced at the Dojo, with classes twice a week.

In May 2025, thirteen students gathered at Chozen-ji as part of the fourth cohort of Zen & Politics: The Way of Public Leadership (Z&P). Initially conceptualized and launched in 2019, Z&P is a six-week intensive training which applies the principles of Zen to politics, public service and community action. On its face, Zen and politics is an oxymoron. What has Zen have to do with politics and community engagement?