Jitokuan
TEL : 090-1203-2915Address : 1111 Ogino, Kasemachi, SagaAccess : JR Nagasaki Main Line Saga Station > (car) > 15 minutesParking : There is a parking lotTime : Check-in 14:00 Check-out 10:00Room : 3 guest room, max 15 people
Shukubo (temple stay)
Jitokuan was founded around the 15th century. Currently, it is a small temple surrounded by rural scenery.
Looking at the map, Balloon Saga Station is the nearest station, but this is a temporary station where trains only stop during the Balloon Fiesta. If you are traveling by train, you will need to walk from the nearby Nabeshima or Kubota stations.
However, when I told them that I had walked, they said that if I had contacted them, they would have sent a car to pick me up.
Guest room
The room I stayed in was a Japanese-style room with two adjoining rooms, one 8 tatami mats and the other 6 tatami mats. There was also a tokonoma alcove and a wooden floor area.
There were Buddhist statues, hanging scrolls, and various furnishings. Towels, bath towels, toothbrushes, and yukatas were provided.
Zen meditation and Copying sutras
There is a TAN for practicing zen meditation in the main hall. I sat here cross-legged and regulated my breathing. The monk carefully taught us how to sit.
After the basic instruction, I was able to practice zen meditation freely. It seems that some enthusiastic people sometimes spend the entire day in zen meditation.
There were also brush pens and paper for copying sutras in the main hall.
There was a painting of a dragon on the ceiling. Practicing zen meditation and copying sutras under the dragon made me feel like I was receiving great power.
Afterwards, I had a chat with the monk while drinking plum tea. The sourness of the plums helped to relieve my body’s fatigue.
There was a hot spring a short distance from the temple. The hot spring water flows directly from the source and is known as the beauty bath. This also felt good.
