Tetto Giko

Tettō Gikō (1295–1369) was a dharma heir of the great Shūhō Myōchō (Daitō Kokushi), the founder of Daitokuji in Kyoto. Tettō was instrumental in establishing the Daitokuji lineage as a distinct stream within Japanese Rinzai Zen, separate from the Myōshinji line that descended through Daitō's other heir, Kanzan Egen. His teachings upheld the uncompromising rigor that characterized Daitō Kokushi's approach.

Through his student Gongai Sōchū, Tettō ensured that Daitō's fierce commitment to authentic realization rather than mere institutional authority continued into subsequent generations. The Daitokuji line he helped establish would eventually produce some of the most celebrated figures in Japanese Zen, including Ikkyū Sōjun.