There's A Peace Pagoda Nestled Away In Upstate New York And It'll Leave You Feeling Completely Zenen
By Lea Monroe|Published February 12, 2020
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Lea Monroe
Author
Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
All around the Empire State, you can find amazing places to unwind, just take a look at these two winter resorts that were recently recognized for being some of the top destinations in the country! If you’re looking to truly get away from it all and seek out an attraction that will leave you feeling nothing short of zen, then it’s time you make the drive out to Rensselaer County to discover how Upstate New York has its very own peace pagoda.
Only a half-hour west of major cities like Albany and Troy, it's time to unwind and discover the beauty of the Grafton Peace Pagoda.
Taking 8-years to complete, the Grafton Peace Pagoda came to be after Buddhist nun and activist, Jun Yasuda was gifted the land by another long-time activist.
One of only two peace pagodas that exist in the country, and one of only eighty that exist around the world, travel off of the beaten path to small-town New York to discover one of our state's most zen landscapes.
This little slice of the Empire State is made up of two structures, the first being the actual Peace Pagoda which visitors are allowed to explore and soak in.
Offering prayer services at 5 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. each day, visitors are invited to take their shoes off, sit down on a rug, and participate in these special services.
Each year, three major services are held here - the first being the Flower Festival in honor of Buddha’s birthday that happens at the end of May or early June, then Hiroshima Day that’s held during the first week of August, and lastly the Peace Pagoda’s Anniversary that’s celebrated around Gandhi’s birthday in early October.
To those who are unfamiliar with who exactly Jun Yasuda is, she's a true treasure to this earth. Born in Japan, Yasuda discovered Buddhism while traveling through India in her 20s. Yasuda has become known throughout the world for things like partaking in the "Longest Walk" with Native Americans from San Francisco to Washington D.C. in 1978 to promote the rights of indigenous people in the United States, fasting on the steps of the New York State Capitol building, and other cross-country walks that have all been in the name of peace. We're so grateful she was able to make the Grafton Peace Pagoda come to life!
