Midwest Buddhist Temple

Midwest Buddhist Temple is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in Old Town, founded in 1944 by the Rev. Gyodo Kono after his release from the Rohwer relocation camp in Arkansas. The temple grew from Japanese Americans resettling in Chicago at the end of World War II and is affiliated with the Buddhist Churches of America. Weekly Family Services include sutra chanting, a gatha and a Dharma talk, and are open to anyone. Rev. Aki Rogers became resident minister in 2026. The temple also runs study classes, Dharma School, taiko and minyo groups.

What to know

• The temple is handicap accessible and has a free parking lot directly south of the building.
• Take the Brown Line to Sedgwick and walk two blocks north on Sedgwick to Menomonee Street.
• Nearby one-way streets make driving tricky; the temple’s website has turn-by-turn directions.
• Recorded Dharma talks are posted online in video and podcast form.
• There is no Family Service on October 11, 2026, because of the Chicago Marathon.