Sohan Genyo

Sohan Genyō (1848–1922) was an abbot of Daitoku-ji known for his extreme dedication to koan practice and his demanding teaching style. He represented the fierce, uncompromising spirit of the Daitokuji lineage that traced back through Ikkyū and Kasō Sōdon to Daitō Kokushi himself.

His most important student was Yamamoto Gempō, who would be called "the twentieth-century Hakuin" for his role in revitalizing Rinzai Zen. Through Gempō, Sohan's rigorous approach shaped the next generation of Rinzai masters and contributed to the tradition's transmission to the West.