Shi-Zen

Chris and Misaki started Shi-Zen in 2024 out of their home in Zushi, Japan. We've since moved the business to a small "kominka" house across town, where a handful of folks from the local community work with us to ship out orders across the world each day.

In Japanese, 自(“shi”) means “one’s own” and 禅 (“Zen”) refers to the Japanese school of Buddhism that involves many meditative practices. However, “shizen” can also be written as 自然, meaning “natural”. 

Thus, our name reflects both the concept of practicing Zen in a way that is authentic to oneself, and also our preference for items made from natural materials.

We are not religious, but believe strongly in the benefits derived from many of the meditative practices of zen, and hope to be able to share authentic Japanese items for mindfulness and Zen to people around the world.

All of the products in our shop are made here in Japan, and we ourselves use them on a daily basis, so we can vouch for their quality.

We hope you will find something that enhances your meditation practice and brings a calming Japanese aesthetic to your space.

Warmly,
Misaki and Chris
Shi-Zen shop owners