Shinchi Kakushin

Shinchi Kakushin (1207–1298), also known as National Teacher Hottō, was a Japanese Rinzai master who played a pivotal role in transmitting Chinese Chan teachings to Japan. He traveled to Song dynasty China, where he studied under Wumen Huikai, the compiler of the celebrated koan collection known as the Mumonkan (Wumenguan). Kakushin received dharma transmission from Wumen and returned to Japan carrying not only the Mumonkan text but also the practices of the Fuke school of Zen, which emphasized the playing of the shakuhachi bamboo flute as a form of meditative practice.

Upon returning to Japan, Kakushin founded Saihō-ji in Yura, Wakayama Prefecture, which was later renamed Kōkoku-ji and became an important center for Rinzai Zen. His introduction of the Mumonkan to Japan had lasting consequences for Japanese Zen, as it became one of the two foundational koan collections used in Rinzai training. Kakushin's lineage continued through students such as Kohō Kakumyō, ensuring the transmission of Wumen's rigorous koan approach in Japan for generations.