Zen Lecture and Shojin Ryori Lunch

Guzeiji Soto Mission News Release

Join the Guzeiji Soto Mission and Naoko Komagata Moller for a Zen lecture and Shojin Ryori lunch Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Guzeiji Soto Mission located at 80 Hotel Lane. Reserve a seat by contacting guzeijisotomission@ gmail.com or (808) 658-0943. The cost is $35. 

“Shojin-Ryori”, Zen vegetarian cuisine, is the basis of modern Japanese cooking. 

Zen vegetarian cuisine refers to vegetarian dishes prepared in temples. It was established and deepened by Dogen (1200-1253) the founder of the Soto- Zen Buddhist sect. 

Zen cooking is not just about cooking with recipes; it is also about your attitude and manner towards cooking with a joyful and nurturing heart and mind: to pay attention and to be present in the moment while you cook and eat. 

In this session, Komagata Moller will prepare the meal using local, fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables in ways that enhance the subtle flavors of each ingredient. The session will begin with a mini lecture about the philosophy behind Zen cooking, followed by a demonstration on table manners. You will experience the Zen way of eating during the meal. There is no cooking involved for the participants. 

Naoko Komagata Moller is a food activist, Japanese cooking connoisseur, and English-as-a Second-Language Educator. Born in a Zen Buddhist temple in Niigata, Japan, raised in Hawaii and in Japan at Zen Buddhist temples, she learned how to cook by assisting her mother from an early age and as a minister’s wife by cooking for large groups at Zen Buddhist temples. 

She operated an English School in Japan for over 20 years and worked as a teacher-trainer while managing the temple. She moved to Hawaii and taught Japanese language and Japanese culture at the Honolulu Waldorf School. 

Komagata Moller conducts Zen Buddhist vegetarian cooking workshops in Italy, England, America, and Japan, and is currently spending the winter months in Honolulu and enjoying off-the-grid life in Northern California with her husband.