Wonderful and welcoming people here. We had never been to a Buddhist temple of any kind before…read more(sadly) and this was our first experience. I had wanted to visit this place many times before but I was too "scared" to go alone. FINALLY the husband had a Sunday off where he doesn't have to work and they're having their service. When we arrived we parked in the back parking lot, which had plenty of space, and we kinda just followed another couple inside hoping they knew where they were going. We lost track of them however and asked a nice lady in the office where to go for the service. She actually walked us upstairs and introduced us to a gentleman who gave us a tour and explained what the service was like. I really appreciated this since I had no clue what sect of Buddhism this was; spoilers it's the Jodo Shinshu sect of pure land Buddhism (very common in Japan). My knowledge on Buddhism is really more for another sect so his explanation of the service and the book went a long way. The service I would describe exactly how he said to us "very Americanized with some traditional elements thrown in there". I was weirdly reminded of a Christian worship service with the pews and the layout of the temple; although obviously no cross at the end of the pews. They also have a Sunday school (Dharma School) portion and on this Sunday they had a lady read a children's book to everyone. For me I wasn't really a fan of this, I found it silly and took that opportunity to read the book more. After the children were excused to the Dharma class they had the "adult" portion of the service which was lots of chanting and lessons from the book. The singing and what not again reminded me of a Christian service. I'm not saying this like it is a negative thing, just "warning" you in the event you're expecting more of a sitting on the floor sort of experience. After service was over we had the opportunity to burn incense and give thanks. A few people gave us warm welcomes and we spoke to a few for a good while. Another thing you will notice is the members of the temple range greatly in age and race. If you're afraid to come here because you'll stick out; don't be. Everyone was welcoming (well except a few snotty tweens but that's kinda common anywhere lol!) We also came back for the mochituski weekend to get delicious mochi and help support the temple. The neighborhood is a bit rough I won't lie but their parking lot seems safe (parking in the neighborhood was a bit harder). They do allow you to take photos after the service but I felt out of respect I would forego that this time. :) I will be back and I recommend you check it out too if for no other reason than to learn about other cultures and beliefs. Make sure you go on their website to double check they're having a service that Sunday however. They often have special events or fundraisers going on and do not have normal service.

Not really a review on the temple itself. Sunday they had a Japanese cultural bazaar, which…read moreapparently they hold every year. It's basically a fund raiser for the church. All kinds of cool stuff goin on. There was a Taiko drum group there along with a Okinawan group singing traditional songs. An anime workshop with local Neko Press artist Billy Martinez. Folk Dancing, Kenpo demonstation, local traditional art and crafts. Okay, let's get down to brass tax. The food was great! They had teriyaki chicken which they were being generous for six bucks. A grip o chicken. The chow mein was recommended and that came in a mini bucket! I had the Tofu tacos. I know, I know...tofu tacos! They actually weren't all that bad. But If you had to go there for one thing it has to be the strawberry mochi. The best mochi I've ever had! Seriously! The great thing out of all this was that there was no one trying to recruit you into the church or trying to pawn off some religous pamphlets or books. Kinda like those Hairy Krishna's at the airport. They ask you for what ever you can give and they'll give you their book. Then they get all pissy if you give em 65 cents. Yes, I got suckered into givin them money and listening to their spiel. Hey bud that's all I got, now go away. Well there's none of that here. This was a church fund raiser though, and there was an introduction to Buddhism class, but like I said it wasn't forced on you. I guess your Dharmic path will lead you to the Hondo prayer pavillion if that's your higher truth. My Dharma led me to the tofu tacos.

I took my daughter, dad, and uncle to this temple today for Lunar New Year. It was my first time…read morehere and I was really impressed with the beautiful garden in front of the temple. There's a beautiful koi pond with some fish as big as 2 feet long. They did a great job putting up all the new year decorations, and it was very festive! The temple is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood, and the neighbors were kind enough to offer parking in front of their house. The monk and some of the regulars there were incredibly nice and welcoming. They had free vegetarian food served buffet style, as well as hot tea and coffee. It's nice to know there's a friendly temple that's not too far away. I look forward to visiting again.

Came here on a Sunday at 11:30am for a 49 day death anniversary. You can just ask the people who…read moreworship here about organizing that. The main room fit about 50 people. It's just like the size of a living room. So if you've got a large family or friends, I would probably go to another temple. They provide little cushions to sit on that look super comfy and the typical tables that look like chairs to put the Buddhist prayer books on top so you can read from while you're sitting on the ground. But they also provide chairs to sit on if you want to sit around the edges. The only downside is that parking here is pretty bad. It's just like a normal home but they configure it so that it's like a temple. Luckily my dad had a friend who lived across the street so we could park in his driveway. Every Sunday they sell vegetarian food. You can get a salad for $5. But the box is pretty small. They also sell a little case of seaweed. If you want a large quantity of food, you need to call ahead so they can make the food. Many people order food from online from this place. On this very day the head monk said that they were making 300 bowls of ramen!! That's a lot!! For lunch, we all got one plate of food with salad, 3 fried chips, and one banana wrapped thing. And a bowl of ramen which included some veggie meat, some veggies, a big mushroom, and half a boiled egg that was made in some way that wasn't directly from a chicken. The ramen brother was made by the head monk himself. He urged everyone to make sure to drink it all because he made it from vegetables and herbs he got. Next month they're going to extend the eating area so that it reaches all the way to the end of the backyard. Also in May, they have an event for Mother's Day at 10:30am so be sure to come by! 5 stars because you can't really judge a small temple like this who's just doing the best they can. The fact that they're even running this temple in a house is amazing itself.

The Monks accepted prayer request from a non-Buddhist without question. As a retired United Church…read moreof Christ pastor, I know hospitality. 85-year-old Grandma Wincom was a wonderfully hospitable guide. Honestly, I was nervous but they were accepting. I was moved to tears as they chanted the prayers for our beloved ones that have left this earthly life. I'm so grateful for this experience.

I went to the Lao New Year Festival on Saturday, which took place at this temple. The event was…read morepretty small, but enjoyable. There were a couple of very detailed floats in front of the temple, which were perfect for photo ops. I wanted to see what the food vendors were selling before eventually getting 3 sugar cane drinks, 2 steak dishes with jeow sauce, and some pineapple with dipping sauces. My friend also shared his coconut dessert with us, which was tasty. I liked that the vendors were very friendly and let you sample what they were selling, since you might not be familiar with their sauces. We also liked the jeow sauce so much, that we bought a bottle of it and already used it twice since then. After enjoying our food, we went inside the temple- you'll need to take off your shoes before entering. My friends got blessed by the monk and received pretty handmade bracelets! There were also some dancers on the stage, but I didn't have a chance to see them. Looking forward to come back next year!

I heard about the day of mindfulness from friends who went so I decided to try it. I loved the…read moreexperience and will be back. It felt like an escape since I was unplugged from my phone and silent for a few hours. The grounds are beautiful and the pond was my favorite view to take in the beauty of nature watching the dragonflies, bees, fish, and birds. I loved the songs, calming bells, meditative walk, and dharma talk. It was long though and my old body had to keep changing positions on the mat. I felt so relaxed and peaceful that I wished a nap was included. The translator was terrific! I enjoyed hearing about everyone's experience during the sharing opportunity (yet it was fine to pass the mic and not speak too). Then we ate a freshly prepared vegetarian meal at the end and had some free time afterwards to revisit the pond and bookstore/gift shop. Before leaving, I got a few photos after the event ended (since it would ruin the mood, be distracting to others, and defeat the purpose if phones were used during the experience.) It was a great to focus on breathing, quieting thoughts, and being present. Thanks for offering this tranquil opportunity to the public. I definitely encourage anyone who visits to make a donation if able.

Beautiful and so peaceful!! This place is stunning and so wonderful. The people are so wonderful…read morewho are there.

They are not welcoming of new Muslim reverts and itssad to see. Very performative Muslims who go…read morehere. There's a quote on their wall inside the masjid that says something along the lines of "be good to the traveler and people who come to seek knowledge." Yet they completely disregard it and are very dismissive and even rude to people whoghey perceive as not "Muslim enough. Will not be returning and bringing my kids to a place like this that doesn't follow the Sunnah of the prophet pbuh or even offer hospitality to guests. I want better for my children and the community in general. If you got this far into reading this, stay far away from this mosque. MCC is only around 15 minutes away and is a much better atmosphere and overall feels much more Islamic.

. Everyone is welcome. Beautiful seen. Its was my day go there to pray. I really enjoyed itread more

November 26 is now officially recognized as an Indochinese Association Holiday in San Diego. We…read moreattended the unveiling ceremony of the auspicious Quan Yin statute. The San Diego Police Captain and his team were special guests at the ceremony, as were the City Council members. To celebrate, there were fireworks, a lion dance, singers from Westminster, and food for all. My dad used to be the Treasurer for this association, so he was really happy to spend the afternoon with his long time buddies. If you get a chance, stop by, light an incense or two, and visit the new beautiful Quan Yin statue.

The San Diego midnight lion dance show was performed here at the temple. The dancers and drummers…read moredid so well. The inside of the temple is beautiful. Where you are able to light incense and pray.

This place has incredible energy! Coming here was a life changing experience for me! Everyone is…read moresuper nice and caring!

Absolutely gorgeous temple…read more Came here for the first time this year. They have their own private parking lot. We came here late on a friday night around 7pm, and to my surprise, there was almost no one there. I'd assume that this place gets more packed in the daytime. It's a very quiet place, but beautiful environment to take photos. The front outdoor patio area is fully decorated from floor to sky. Completely covered with lanterns on top, A wall adorned with more lanterns, and a wall covered with chinese umbrellas. And we have inside, where we make our prayers and blessings, make sure you take your shoes off before entering! Also beautifully decorated in honor of Buddha. You can spend quite some time here. Must see!

Love this masjid. The community is family…read more The oldest masjid in San Diego , still apart of the community. Close to downtown. Brothers and sisters do outreach to the unfortunate downtown. The masjid is kept clean, the cook great lunches every friday after prayer, that could be purchased. Very nice masjid!

Small Masjed , Altaqwa Islamic center . Peaceful place in the heart of San Diegoread more