Yamamoto Gempo

Yamamoto Gempō (1866–1961) was one of the greatest Rinzai masters of the twentieth century, often called "the twentieth-century Hakuin" for his tireless efforts to revitalize Rinzai Zen. He served as abbot of both Ryūtaku-ji — the temple where Hakuin himself had taught — and Shōin-ji, Hakuin's birthplace temple. When he arrived at Ryūtaku-ji, the temple was in near-ruin; he restored it to become once again a vital center of Rinzai training.

Gempō was renowned as a calligrapher and poet as well as a Zen master. His brushwork carried the same force and directness as his teaching. His most important student, Nakagawa Soen, became a major figure in the transmission of Zen to America. Through Soen and his other students, Gempō's influence extended far beyond the walls of his restored temples.