* 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.

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.

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.

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.

The right Zen temple for people who live in urban area. They have ZEN YU: Young Urban Zen which…read morehappens every Monday evening. Every Wednesday is also sitting that are lead by Teacher Kate and Michael and inspiring Dharma Talks. They are both really great teachers! Once a while, they and sometimes their teacher Norman Fisher also lead retreats( like 3 days, 7 days). They also have practice period in Sep and Oct which help everyone gets prepared for the longer retreats.

The Evergreen Taoist Church of Canada is not your everyday temple, or at least not in Thailand or…read moreMalaysia. The Evergreen Taoist Church of Canada is located on the third floor of 223 Keefer Street. All are welcome. You do not have to be Taoist to go and you are not required to give money, but some change is highly appreciated. The people in the Evergreen Taoist Church of Canada do not speak a lot of English, but some other people may. Feel free to ask questions. Just inside the door, is a cabinet that has fortune telling sticks. Feel free to open the top part of the cabinet and get a cup of the sticks. Knee and pray to God, Buddha, other deity and shake the cup until one stick falls out. Take the number on the stick and open the top drawer of the cabinet. Get the paper with the number of the stick and read your fortune. This is a good time to donate some change... The papers cost money.... You can take pictures inside the temple, but respect others. And as always, Have Fun!!!

If you are Taoist or are curious about Taoism, this temple is an excellent place to check out. We…read morewent here as part of a Chinatown tour and I am glad we did. The place can be a bit smoky from the incense burning but there's a person attending to the place and she was available to answer any questions in English. You could also try your luck at fortune telling. Just grab a canister filled with sticks and shake until 1 stick falls out. Look for the number on the stick and look it up in the nearby cabinet. Your fortune awaits on the piece of paper with your lucky number on it. No money is necessary but donations are always welcomed. =)

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.