In 1995, Monshin Sensei and his Wife Shumon Sensei opened the Karuna Tendai Dharma Center after serving at the Tamon-in Buddhist temple in Chiba Japan. The Dharma center was a small village temple, serving the surrounding area of Canaan New York, all over North America and even Europe. Monshin and Shumon later converted a barn into a beautiful Tendai Hondo. Outside it looks like a red Shaker style barn. Inside it looks like a traditional Tendai temple with several elements of the original barn incorporated into both the structure and even the altar.

As time went on, the community and its needs grew and Monshin and Shumon responded by training and ordaining priests to serve in many locations. The leadership training takes place in Canaan in the form of traditional Japanese style gyo. This period of ten days (or fourteen) is an amazing and transformative experience! All perceived limitations are uprooted and we are face to face with reality. Sleep and food can be slim and the challenges are hard but this gives us a sense of complete immersion in practice. Those who seek to serve will find a deep understanding of what uninhibited service is.