SanboJi – Temple of the Three Jewels. 

A place of silence and awakening in the heart of the Apennines.

SanboJi, the Temple of the Three Jewels, is a Zen monastery located in the Berceto mountains (PR), in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Surrounded by pristine nature, it is a peaceful and silent retreat where you can follow the age-old Zen path and find harmony with yourself and the rhythms of nature.

A vibrant and inclusive community of practice

SanboJi is home to the Bamboo Forest Sangha , a lay and monastic residential community—men and women—that practices Zen in the tradition of the Soto Zen lineage of Master Harada Daiun Sogaku , led in Italy by Master Tetsugen Serra . The Sangha is founded on a daily commitment to study, meditation, and the sharing of Dharma values.

The community is open to all, regardless of race, culture, gender, or religious belief: a shared path toward awakening, in the spirit of brotherhood among all beings.

Retreats, hospitality and practice all year round

Throughout the year, SanboJi hosts intensive and introductory Zen meditation retreats , welcoming those seeking a time—short or long—of silence, practice, and spiritual regeneration. Hospitality is open to all, in a simple and authentic setting.

The meaning of SanboJi

The name SanboJi comes from the ideograms:

• San – Bamboo
• Bo – Jewels of Dharma: the Buddha (our true nature), the Dharma (the teachings) and the Sangha (the community of practice)
• Ji – Temple, place of practice

SanboJi is therefore “the temple that guards the Three Jewels”, where the precious pearls of the spiritual path are cultivated and passed down.

Nature as a Teacher

SanboJi is surrounded by woods, flowers, and wild animals. Each season offers different colors, scents, and silences: the snow in winter, the cherry blossoms in spring, the intense greens of summer, and the autumnal hues of beech and oak trees. Here, even roe deer, deer, and badgers seem to meditate alongside the Sangha, in the profound quiet of this unique place.