Members of the Dharma Center project team and students from Lotus Preschool participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for a $15 million dollar project called The Dharma Center, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in San Jose's Japantown. The center will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)Members of the Dharma Center project team and students from Lotus Preschool participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for a $15 million dollar project called The Dharma Center, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in San Jose’s Japantown. The center will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) 

The San Jose Buddhist Church in the city’s Japantown broke ground Thursday on a massive project to replace its 70-year-old education building with a $15 million Dharma Center.

A pamphlet shows a rendering of the Dharma Center which will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, a Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)A pamphlet shows a rendering of the Dharma Center which will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, a Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) 

Named for the teachings of Buddha, the two-story facility will house the Lotus Preschool and Japanese Language School, and also offer room for Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops along with temple and Japantown activities.

This is the first big capital construction project for the church in a decade. In 2016, a $5.4 million seismic retrofitting and modernization of the temple’s gym building was finished.

Construction is expected to wrap up a year from now. According to church officials, the team includes lead contractor South Bay Construction, Aedis Architects and Spectrum Project Management Group.

Attendees gather for a group photo during a groundbreaking ceremony for the $15 million Dharma Center on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in San Jose's Japantown. The center will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, a Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)Attendees gather for a group photo during a groundbreaking ceremony for the $15 million Dharma Center on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in San Jose’s Japantown. The center will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, a Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) 
A rendering of the $15 million Dharma Center is displayed as attendees participate in a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in San Jose's Japantown. The center will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, a Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)A rendering of the $15 million Dharma Center is displayed as attendees participate in a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in San Jose’s Japantown. The center will house a preschool, Sunday religious classes, a Japanese language school, and other San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and community activities. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) 

 

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