The Buddhist Traveler in Washington, D.C.

Although associated with politics, power, and the president, Washington, D.C.’s identity is more than its marble monuments and partisan debates. Beneath the surface, an altruistic spirit prevails, shaped by public servants and a vibrant international community. In the 1960s–1970s, shifting diplomatic ties drew East Asian settlers from Japan, Vietnam, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tibet to the city. While readers may be familiar with Tara Brach’s Insight Meditation Community of Washington, a rich tapestry of other Buddhist traditions is represented in the greater D.C. area. Traditional Buddhist temples cluster in the 16th Street Heights neighborhood, while meditation centers around the city offer in-person and Zoom gatherings. Every March–April the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival. In an effort to improve US-Japanese relations, 3,200 cherry blossom trees were donated to Washington in 1912 by the mayor of Tokyo. The Buddhist monks on the fifteen-week “Walk for Peace” from Texas, led by Bhikkhu Pannakara, reached Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, February 10.

1| Washington Buddhist Vihara

Founded in 1965, the Washington Buddhist Vihara was the first Theravada monastic community in the US, with initial ties to Sri Lanka. Staffed by resident bhikkhus, the Vihara hosts meditation groups in a residence on the 16th Street corridor, complete with a Buddhist resource library and spacious temple. Regular offerings include a free meditation hour on Fridays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., with a daylong meditation scheduled monthly. Its sister organization, Lion of Wisdom, offers multiday retreats, just north of D.C., in the Maryland suburbs.

2| The Great River Tendai Buddhist Sangha

The Great River Tendai Buddhist Sangha, of the Japanese Tendai tradition, holds a Sunday service (10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) at the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple. Just down the street from the Vihara, the unassuming brick home’s front yard displays a grand stone statue quoting the Heart Sutra in gold Japanese characters. Led by Reverend Seimon Van, who fled Vietnam with her family following the war, the Mahayana service includes seated and walking meditation, chanting, and dharma discussion, and concludes with tea. The service is held in both Japanese and English and is also available over Zoom. The sangha welcomes newcomers seeking a traditional practice beyond just meditation.

3| One Heart Sangha Zen Meditation

One Heart Sangha is one of several Zen centers offering in-person meditation post-Covid. Weekly sessions are held on Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Washington Ethical Society zendo, with regular “Introduction to Zen” sessions for newcomers. Other offerings include monthly all-day sits, three-day retreats, haiku study, and periodic Zen intensives. The teachers were ordained in the White Plum Asanga lineage, founded by Taizan Maezumi Roshi.

4| Temple of Cun Yum

Relocated here in 1990 from its space above the now-shuttered Golden Palace Restaurant, Cun Yum is the only Chinese Buddhist temple in the city. Situated in Chinatown, the temple is dedicated to Guan Yin, the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion. (Cun Yum is a Cantonese variant of Guan Yin.) Sharing the block with a dim sum joint and a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner’s office, the bright pink brick Temple of Cun Yum is the go-to place of worship for the Chinese American and Chinese community residing in the affordable housing complex across the street. Open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the temple is welcoming to all. Enter and light incense, make a wish or offering to Guan Yin’s statue, and enjoy tea in the community room.

5| National Museum of Asian Art

This branch of the Smithsonian sits just off the National Mall, sharing a courtyard with the National Museum of African Art and the Smithsonian Castle. The Freer and Arthur M. Sackler galleries house a plethora of Buddhist paintings and statues from Buddhist Asia. See 2nd-century Gandharan sculptures, Chinese Tang dynasty bodhisattvas, Japanese Zen brushwork, and learn about the long history of Islamic-Buddhist trading and cultural exchange. Check out the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, displaying around 220 Buddhist objects. Before rejoining the tourists on the bustling Mall, pass through the Enid A. Haupt Garden and clear your mind in the Moongate Garden, inspired by the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and resplendent with magnolias and cherry blossoms in March and April.

6| National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum

Washington, D.C.’s National Arboretum grounds boast several trails for mindfulness and forest bathing walks. After winding through the National Capitol Columns, cross over to see the open-air museum. Featuring fifty-three bonsai trees gifted by Japan in 1976 for America’s bicentennial, the museum’s collection has grown to more than 300 plants today. Stop by the Yamaki Pine, a Hiroshima survivor that just celebrated its 400th birthday, symbolizing peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and reminding us of centuries of care. The Washington City Paper readers voted the museum the best place to meditate in the city in 2023 and again in 2025.