* Temple at the heart of the community *…read more This area of Vancouver has seen a lot of change over the years, and a lot of displacement. One of the major groups that used to inhabit the area were the Japanese before World War II. They were interned and had their property and businesses taken away during the War, yet the area is still called Japantown by many. There are many remnants of the Japanese community if you look around carefully. Everything from the Japanese names in mosaic tile in front of many of the modern day non-Japanese businesses to the historical connection between the Japanese community and the neighbourhood. The Powell Street Festival highlights the community each year, and one of the things I appreciate about it is how the Japanese community is so good at integrating all members of the current community in the area. Everyone is welcome, and many aspects of the festival are designed to share both the Japanese culture and other cultures. It has a true community building feel to it. The Vancouver Buddhist Temple is at the heart of the festival and opens its doors. There was a nice ikebono display, some historical photo displays, a shiatsu clinic, and a table from the Japanese consulate explaining their various offerings. Just outside the Temple's doors the festival fills up the nearby streets and Oppenheimer park. You can find everything from a spam musubi booth to freshly made yakisoba to okonomiyaki to takoyaki to karaage, etc. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/vancouver-buddhist-church-vancouver?select=RVMiB7J595daOBluQvHb6A#RVMiB7J595daOBluQvHb6A The organizers setup everything from multiple music stages, story telling, walking tours of the neighbourhood and its history to cross-cultural tours focusing on the various groups of the area besides the Japanese (history of the Chinese, Indian, and First Nation activities in the area's history). There were also activities for all ages including even a suikawari game. (A Japanese game similar to hitting a pinata while blindfolded, but instead you hit a watermelon.) Many festivals around Vancouver are filled with the same typical corporate sponsors (I'm looking at you big banks and radio stations). None of those were in sight here. It was a very community feel overall, and made for a very nice day. All coordinated via the Vancouver Buddhist Temple headquarters! This Temple is truly at the heart of the multi-ethnic community that this area is.

What a wonderful place. Friendly people and a beautiful antique altar from Japan. Offering Dharma…read moresessions and a place to unwind.

Ling Yen Temple is a beautiful and tranquil temple with large areas where visitors can truly emerge…read morein its peacefulness. It is definitely a place I would recommend for both devotees and non devotees to experience this beautiful Buddhist Temple located in Richmond BC.

This is my favorite temple or should I say the one that I only go to. Yes. This temple is very…read morespiritual. Its clean and nice. People here are friendly and helpful. Lots of free parking as well. They have lots of events happening on weekends. Some are quite special. Especially on Chinese Holidays or Chinese festivals etc. Lots of people would even travel very far to come here.

02.12.26 @2:59pm Wow…read morethis temple is nice. The minute i drive in already free the energy and peace. I would definitely recommend a drop by visit.

I was amazed with the grandeur of this beautiful oasis's…read more There are gorgeous green manicured gardens, the whole place was spot less. I enjoyed the tranquility sitting by the pond and got to enjoying listening to the water. Entry was free and you have an opportunity to donate. There is ample parking and they have a cute little store. The staff was really nice and my 1hour stay visit was memorable. This is a great place for families to come and visit and learn together.

This is the first Kagyu Monastery in the Pacific Northwest and had its grand opening 25 July 2010…read more As you can see by the posted pictures, the interior is a beautiful shade of red but is very small in terms of the number of people whom can meditate there. There are meditation classes on Sundays at 1:30pm. This monastery is located just past the intersection of Blundell Road and No. 5 Road.

Great Tibetan Monastery that under the lineage of 17 Karmapa. They offer chanting services on the…read moreweekly basis opening for the public both in English and Chinese. The lamas sometimes give dharma talks that are helpful. Once in a while, there are big ceremonies or great masters come and give lectures.

Fu Hui Buddhist Temple is located on a busy street. When you go inside the temple, you will feel…read morethe peaceful atmosphere come. You don't hear the noisy sounds anymore

I found this quaint little temple about 11 years ago. The volunteers here are really kind and the…read morenuns are friendly and compassionate. We have attended various weekend prayer ceremonies as a family and also were invited to join the rest of the attendees for lunch. The lunch is always delicious by the way. There is no charge for it however, you are more than welcome to make a donation in any amount. There seriously do not treat people differently whether you choose to donate or not and that is what I really like about this establishment. The temple is well kept and the floors are always clean both upstairs and downstairs. The front door is not always open on weekdays however, you can always ring the bell and if there is someone working at that time, they will gladly welcome you in and take you for a quick tour. Otherwise, you can always call ahead of time and ask for Mr. Ho who is amazing at organizing many things at the temple. Great hospitality and a respectful environment. They welcome people from all ethnicity and you do not have to be Buddhist to attend. If you are in the area and wanted to learn more about Buddhism or just to explore a local temple, be sure to drop by at Fu Hui.

A Great Chan(Zen) Buddhist Temple for meditation(founded by Master Sheng Yen) They have meditation…read moreretreats(1 day, 3 days and 7 days), Dharma talks, books clubs, Buddhist ceremonies, Buddhist Studies, and more! There are also fun activities such as gardening, cooking, choir, drum team and more. For Buddhist birthdays or Chinese new years, there is also open-house with many fun activities! One more thing, there are free great tasting vegetarian lunches(something like all you can eat).

This is my main temple. The people are very friendly and it strikes a perfect balance between…read moreausterity and accessibility. The monastics and the lay people all give off a wholesome vibe and act accordingly. The food is excellent vegetarian fare. They offer everything from beginner's meditation classes to seven day residential retreats and everything else in between. Once in a while they have some great guest lecturers as well, academics, overseas monastics, and even management professionals. Most everything is in Mandarin with English translation via the earphone thing, but most of the people middle aged and younger have fine English, even quite a few of the older people. I've found volunteering to be very fun there as well, as that's when you really get to bond with your fellow practitioners and apply the teachings in an easy setting.

Great place for meditator whether beginner or advanced practitioners!read more

It's usually my go to store if I get out...today I went there and to a pet store across the street,…read more then to TNT and Safeway...once I got home, I was itching and found 3 bedbugs bites in a row on my stomach. I did call the store to let them know...he said they haven't gotten any complaints...I said, I am complaining now. Spoke to the manager...was told they would check the store...sadly, I won't go there again. I know the bites are from a bed bug because I worked in the dtes before and had to deal with this problem. Hopefully they can heat steam the entire place so the problem is dealt with. Ugh

super small but if you visit every week or two/live or work somewhat nearby you are bound to find…read moresomething. employees are very nice and polite but aisles are narrow and senior ladies with grocery carts block them all the time so its a bit harder to pass. love checking it out but some prices are a bit steep from time to time