On 16 June 2019, there was an official opening ceremony of Dhammakaya International Meditation Center-Tochigi in Japan, along with the enshrinement ceremony of Phramongkolthepmuni statue. This meditation center was built with the faith of the Japanese locals who searched for the inner peace through meditation and called “Thai-mei-sou-no-mo-ri” or
“Thai Meditation Forest”.
Venerable Phrakhrusamu Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, director of Communication Department, Wat Phra Dhammakaya, related that Dhammakaya International Meditation Center-Tochigi was established by Venerable Phrakhrupalad Sunet Charapinyo with its mission and activities to propagate Buddhism in Japan ; for example, the weekend meditation course during Friday-Sunday for the locals in order to boost their energy after work on weekend, the annual ordination program with the purpose to increase the number of religious heirs of Buddhism and Thai traditional activities like Songkran and Yee Peng (flying lanterns) festivals, attended by over 200 locals. This reflects that different races and languages are not the obstacles for Buddhism propagation in Japan.
“In 2026, Dhammakaya International Meditation Center-Tochigi is going to prepare an important event of its history, which is the establishment of the first cetiya in Japan as the signal of outer & inner peace in Tochigi. For more information regarding the activities of Dhammakaya International Meditation Center-Tochigi, please contact via the website : タイ瞑想の森 https://meisounomori.jp/ or Facebook page : วัดป่าธรรมกายนานาชาติโทชิหงิ https://www.facebook.com/DIMCT072, ” Venerable Phrakhrusamu Sanitwong said.
