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Zen Buddhism originated in China and profoundly influenced Japanese architecture. To this day, Zen no Kenchiku [English: Zen architecture] by Hideo Yokoyama is considered the most authoritative publication on the elements of Japanese Zen architecture. However, contemporary Zen temples have undergone numerous reconstructions and modifications, raising the question of how closely their current forms adhere to the original designs. This study aims to compare the contemporary architecture of selected Zen temples with the architectural features recognised as fundamental to the Zen style in the 1960s. The temples were chosen based on their historical and contemporary significance, with a focus on the Rinzai and Sōtō schools. We reviewed the architectural elements described in Zen no Kenchiku and supplemented them with information from other sources and secondary literature. Our analysis revealed that none of the temples we examined contained all of the Zen architectural elements identified by Yokoyama. As demonstrated, Zen architecture is evolving and may contribute to sustainable building practices. These findings lay the groundwork for further research on Zen temples, particularly in the context of sustainable architecture.
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