In addition to being a place of meditation and reflection, a zen garden provides many opportunities for training the body and the mind. The sand provides a somewhat softer place to land from a fall than, say, river rock or packed earth, as well as providing a surface to practice the trackless step. The rocks provide differing heights and distances to practice leaps, landings, and balance on uneven surfaces. And raking the sand after practice provides a cool-down exercise and provides time to consider lessons, think on the impact of actions, and relax.

From the zen garden, one path winds its way through trees to the south, another, to the southeast.