Beautiful and serene place of worship. It was busy today because it is MLK day, yet it felt so…read morepeaceful and calm. Beautiful architecture and it was wonderful and centering to hear the monks chanting. They were also giving out free food for everyone, which was a nice gesture. Unlike some other places of worship that I've been to, where I am clearly not from the primary cohort of people who go there, this spot was very welcoming, and I did not feel out of place.

Tucked away in the old part of San Jose, Pao-Hua Buddhist Temple is visible from far away with its…read morebeautiful architecture but the entrance is easy to miss. The temple feels like a hidden oasis surrounded by an ordinary neighborhood. The temple is especially beautiful in the spring with its vibrant gardens filled with blooming flowers. The ponds add to the serenity and peacefulness. The temple itself is not very big and you can quickly explore all of it. Everything is kept clean and neat. There is usually plenty of parking and there are even restrooms for guests. On busy weekends and holidays you may have to park outside the premise. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. Overall, I'd highly recommend visiting Pao-Hua Buddhist Temple whether you are spiritual or not. It's a peaceful spot to reflect and enjoy.

One of our favorite temple to come to during new years and to visit anytime of the year. Nicely…read moredecorated though parking can be chaotic

Excellent holiday vibes every year. Lots of community support and donations for them. This place is…read moretotally worth visiting during Lunar New Year, the busiest time around here filled with vibrant colors and beautiful views. Must give credit to good management and upkeep. Food vendors are great people and customers are pretty dedicated to making good vibes happen. Dining area is always packed on special holidays. It's a true blessing to have this place in the busy neighborhood. Their own parking lots can't fit many cars, so the best option is to find neighborhood street parking or retail parking spaces nearby and just walk over here. Heavy traffic on a rainy new year day is normal. Folks were burning incense/praying for the goodness and all the luck that new year can bring. There's all kinds of Vietnamese holiday foods/beverages/snacks to enjoy. All staffs young and old are hardworking here. Great place to celebrate. Most people come here for beautiful photo shoots since colorful lanterns and fresh flowers are displayed. $2/$3$/$5/$6/$7$10 cash can get you plenty of goodies. I wish the lot was much bigger because they can really accommodate a lot of people inside. It's great to see people enjoying after all these pandemic years. It's definitely a good blessing to walk around on new year of the fire horse year 2026. Strong and exciting place. Worth visiting annually.

Tam Tu Metta Buddhist Temple (Vietnamese style) in Morgan Hill, CA is definitely for people who…read moreenjoy walking around cultural sites underneath the hot sunshine and love visiting beautiful photo spots. The place has been closed for so long, especially during pandemic, but they are open to the public daily. Found a sign that shows open daily 9am-5pm these days. Only the main building is closed during weekdays, but open on weekends. Free parking & free admissions. Parking lot is wide and spacious. EV friendly. They are still doing renovations and maintenance work, but it's definitely worth visiting, especially if you like beautiful temples and views onsite. You can take and snap as many photos at the landscapes and buildings as desired. Plants and flowers are gorgeous. There's a small fruit stand across the street if you want to buy something nearby. Overall, cultural sites are beautiful landmarks, especially in California. Vietnamese Buddhism culture has grown and it gets even more exciting during important holiday celebrations. I'm really glad that the Tam Tu Metta Buddhist Temple is open now.

The experience here was amazing. I had the opportunity to go on a one on one retreat with my…read moreinstructor and take in the temple statues, design and garden and ponds! And temple cat. Enso forever, Free parking and entry. Beautiful garden and buddha statue. A must visit really.

Driven by a desire to visit this peaceful monastery, we drove 75 miles yesterday only to be met…read morewith total disappointment. The main entrance was completely chained up, and the grounds looked entirely deserted. While there are older mentions of a multi-year reconstruction project started around 2022, it is deeply frustrating that there is no current signage, status update, or warning for visitors. Their official website is primarily in Vietnamese, and the limited English sections make no mention whatsoever of a total public closure. If you are planning a trip here, please be warned that it appears closed to the public with no clear timeline for reopening or completion. I sincerely hope the temple management updates their online English platforms soon so other travelers don't waste hours on a long drive.

This Vietnamese buddhist temple is a great meditation center set on Mount Madonna in Watsonville…read morewhere the street ends on Summit Road, a scary drive for sure with seemingly endless twists and turns. When we got to the top, the sign said "closed due to construction work" but the gate was open, so we entered, and there was plenty of parking and we found several other visitors on site as well. The monastery and surrounding area were beautiful with tall trees, lots of greenery, so many buddha statues large and small, peacocks, deer, a gazebo, a restroom, areas for worship and prayer, and a dining area where we were invited to share a meal with the monks. But the place seemed lacking in maintenance and cleanliness, even considering that it was "under construction". To make matters worse, flies and mosquitos were abundant making it hard to have a snack outdoors. Also, though the animals on site added some charm to our visit, the cawing of the birds was relentless during the hour we were there. Besides that, the main draw was still the quietude in our surroundings. With the current "under construction" condition, I'm not sure it's worth the scary winding roads required to get here. That being said, it's a lovely place to visit, and I would certainly return on better days.

San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin is located in Japantown, San Jose. I've really only gone here when…read morethey have the Obon Festival and they open up some of the surrounding buildings and have displays of banzai trees and plants, geisha paper dolls, calligraphy, etc. I have several friends and their families involved in the church league activities.

Community and Buddhism come to holistic togetherness at the Buddhist Church Betsuin in San Jose,…read moreCalifornia. I've gone to several services and dharma talks at this Buddhist Church and really enjoyed the experience. I was surprised about the similarities a the Sunday service here and what I experienced at christian churches. It felt very familiar. What is especially attractive about Buddhist Church Betsuin is the inclusiveness of the community. Everyone was really approachable and super friendly. There was absolutely no pushiness, which I really appreciated. Just openness and togetherness. There are many events that happen in and around the Buddhist Church. Japantown is vibrant and appears to becoming more and more popular. This Buddhist Church benefits the community because it anchors everyone into something entirely unique and special in San Jose.

Such an honor to be invited for a Sunday event with my family…read more Buddhanusorn Thai Temple Fremont The temple was so beautiful and the vegetarian food for lunch was cooked perfect. It is a must visit.

I love this temple Every time me and my husband went to…read morethis temple always make me feel happy and want to praying. Some temple we attend it make me feel scared and not happy, but this one we always go. I recommends this temple because they are always welcome everyone not like some temple at Stockton and sacramento.

So very small but the simplicity & humbleness is what kind of makes Quan The Am Temple so beautiful…read moreIMO. While a lot of the reviews mention the kitchen and the temple's delicious food offerings, I can only base this review on the temple as a whole. Parking is rough on busy days and during Mid-Autumn Festival & Lunar New Year- for very obvious reasons. Street parking is an option but do expect a long walk. Perfect place to do some self reflecting or provide yourself with some "me" time.

They have two buildings, one which is a cafeteria that served delicious vegetarian vermicelli…read morenoodle soup. There's another smaller cafe without seating that served vegetarian stir fry with rice. It was a good mixture of crunchy and soft, salty, pickled, and savory. There is limited parking inside but most park on the street nearby and walk over.

If there were such a thing as a Disneyland for Buddhism in an American setting, the closest thing…read moreto that would probably be the Land of Medicine Buddha (LMB) sanctuary, nestled in the picturesque Santa Cruz Mountains near the quiet town of Soquel. I mean no disrespect by this (the organization calls itself a "Dharma Wonderland"), as the narrative below will make clear. Our visit had a dream-like quality to it. It was a weekday, with no scheduled events. As we wandered about, we encountered few people. The handful we did encounter were all very pleasant, exchanging greetings and information with us, as if we were all kindred spirits. It wasn't clear to us initially where the physical boundaries of LMB were. Just as we thought we had reached the end, we discovered yet another temple or other point of interest ahead. Each temple was different, in terms of style, purpose and size, as well as architecturally. The most impressive for me was the 100,000 Stupa, the Mahabodhi Temple replica, which looked like something out of an Indiana Jones adventure movie. That's the 39-foot-tall replica of the 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi Temple in India, where the Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment. But the most profound personal experience for me was provided by the Wish-Fulfilling Temple farther up the road. The gleaming golden Buddha standing off to the side emanated such a special aura of kindness and omniscience that I was inspired on the spot to do something I had never done outdoors before: I prayed. I prayed for several minutes, in fact (though I'm not even Buddhist). Prior to that, at other temple spots, we spun various prayer wheels, large and small. I pushed a large wooden column, suspended like a swing, into a heavy ornate bell several times. It emitted a "bong" that filled the surrounding wooded enclave with its strong yet soothing sound. Across from the bell was a gong, with two different instruments designed for striking it, hanging on either side. One had a solid soft plastic end to it, the other a fuzzy soft material obviously designed to produce a more muffled sound. Placards with background information and instructions for chants were posted in all appropriate places. I especially appreciated the fact that simplified versions of chants were provided, for those of us for whom the full chant phrases were too difficult to remember. Rustic benches made from split logs were available in various spots from which we could admire the views of the forested mountains nearby and in the distance. Most visitors will probably find the trail challenging -- if you hike to all the temples during your visit -- unless you're both young and in top shape. Here are a few other tips: * The road into LMB is one-lane only. If you meet a vehicle coming toward you from the opposite direction, one of you will have to pull off to the side to accommodate the other. This must be done very carefully, as the shoulders -- where they do exist -- are narrow and the drop from the side can be steep. * There is a food "truck" within the compound but it will not necessarily be open (it wasn't when we visited), so either bring your own food or plan to eat before or after you drive in. A vegetarian restaurant called "Pretty Good Advice" (covered in a separate review) is about 2.8 miles away from the entrance to LMB. * Read the information on the LMB website before going, to be able to fully appreciate your visit. We found no maps available at the compound, so I highly recommend that you print one out from the website. * At the very least, check the information on the LMB website before you drive there, to make sure it will be open. If an event is scheduled, keep in mind that parking is limited and make sure you feel up to the challenge. * You may not be approached by anyone to make the suggested $20 per vehicle donation but this can be done at the bookstore/gift shop near the compound's entrance (if you can't afford $20, then offer whatever you can). I have it on good authority that those who do so will be rewarded with good karma!

This really is a hidden gem. Land of Medicine Buddha Retreat had much more to explore and…read moreexperience than I expected. The hiking path was so beautiful, as I thought, but it also had things to see and read... and usually a place to sit while you ponder the Buddhist quote about life's philosophy. You pass not only tall Redwoods, but also a koi pond and tucked away buddhas from different Asian countries -- China, Tibet, India. There are also other areas to explore on the property, such as a meditation area, store and cafe, prayer area, drums and chimes, statues, and waterfall. There were also docents here and there whom you could talk to. (Note that the meditation area where the waterfall and statutes are located are fenced in and are only open at certain times.) There is a $20 entrance fee per car, but I think it is worth it for the upkeep of the property.

I've always been curious about meditation and decided to give this place a try based on other Yelp…read morereviews. My husband and I enrolled in the Level 1 Meditation class, which is free, and lasts for 12 weeks. It definitely is a commitment, but we attended all but one class (due to Thanksgiving break) and really found it so enjoyable and fulfilling. To note, this is Zen Buddhism that they are teaching, so if you are particular about that, it's something to consider. The Shifu who runs the class is really insightful and funny. (I think he's absolutely endearing!!) He made the classes fly by. The way they go is that the first half of class is dedicated to teaching you the basics of Zen meditation (chanting, sitting, walking). The second half is lecture in the dining hall, otherwise known as Dharma talks, which teach you a lot of the practical and traditional aspects of Zen Buddhism and meditation. Overall, going here has helped my hubby and I connect a lot better and learn how to handle stress in a more calm way. We definitely would have joined the level 2 class if we hadn't moved up north. I try to visit and meditate here whenever I am in the South Bay :)

I've visited many temples in the past due to my Buddhist mother dragging me, but this temple is the…read moreonly one that I really enjoy and actually will go on my free will. :P I took the level 1 meditation class in English, which I find is really rare. The other temples that I've been to only speak Chinese or Vietnamese. I don't understand Chinese very well, so I was very happy to find English courses here. The teacher is Shifu JianYing, who is a happy and funny monk. The atmosphere is very warm and welcoming. The lectures are enlightening, fun, and enjoyable. I highly recommend taking the class if you have time (once a week for 2 hours for 12 weeks), and it's free too! :)