Talks
Mindfulness can improve our modern lives.
I travel the world giving talks about the zen & mindfulness, and how these practices can help improve our lives in these modern and hectic times and help us to be more fulfilled in our private and professional lives.
I hope that the message that I put forth in these talks can find fertile ground and help change peoples lives. My travels and talks have brought me to the likes of MIT, Brown University, TEDxKyoto & Ideo. I’m looking to communicate with new organizations to more of the like.
Please take a moment to view some of these talks, and if your organization is interested in holding such a talk, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Read more about Rev. Kawakami and Shunkoin on our About page.



How mindfulness can help you to live in the present
Rev. Takafumi Kawakami, Deputy Head Priest at Kyoto’s Shunkoin Temple, embraces the skill of mindfulness as the center of Zen Buddhism and meditation, inspiring us all to slow our frantic lives to stay true to the present.
Participating in a TED event can have unexpected results, ranging from establishing new friendships and connections to inspiring us to think, live and act in completely new ways. For Jason Hsu, TED conferences had a profound impact. In 2008 he combined his TED inspirations with his varied professional experiences as a news editor in Taiwan, entrepreneur in San Francisco and UNESCO volunteer to found The Big Question Conference, a local event in Taipei modeled after the TED conference experience. When TED established the TEDx program in 2009, Jason was quick to found TEDxTaipei, the second TEDx event established in Asia. Now, as curator for TEDxTaipei and TEDx ambassador for Asia as well as co-founder and Chief Catalyst for MakerBarTaipei, Jason’s goals for TEDxTaipei mirror the goals for TED and TEDx events around the world: to bring new ideas home, and to share local stories with the world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
DW - Japan's marriage equality priest - Radio program
Same-sex marriage remains illegal in Japan, but a Buddhist priest in Kyoto is among those pushing for change. Taka Kawakami is among the first in his country to perform wedding ceremonies for homosexual couples.
Japan's marriage equality priest
Same-sex marriage remains illegal in Japan, but a Buddhist priest in Kyoto is among those pushing for change. Taka Kawakami is among the first in his country to perform wedding ceremonies for homosexual couples.
Same-sex marriage remains illegal in Japan, but a Buddhist priest in Kyoto is among those pushing for change. Taka Kawakami is among the first in his country to perform wedding ceremonies for homosexual couples.