Takuan Sōhō (沢庵 宗彭, 1573–1645) was a major figure in the
Rinzai schoolThe Rinzai school is one of the three Japanese Zen sects. Rinzai is the Japanese line of the Chinese Linji school, which was founded during the Tang Dynasty by Linji Yixuan...
of Zen Buddhism.
Takuan Sōhō was born into a family of farmers in the town of Izushi, located in what was at that time called
Tajima provincewas an old province of Japan in the area that is today northern Hyōgo Prefecture. Tajima bordered on Harima, Inaba, Tamba, and Tango provinces.The ancient provincial capital is near the modern town of Hidaka, although a major castle town was built at Izushi...
(present-day
Hyōgo Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
). At the age of 8 in 1581 young Takuan began his religious studies and 2 years later he entered a Buddhist monastery. By the age of 14 in 1587, Takuan started studying the
Rinzai schoolThe Rinzai school is one of the three Japanese Zen sects. Rinzai is the Japanese line of the Chinese Linji school, which was founded during the Tang Dynasty by Linji Yixuan...
of Zen Buddhism under the tutelage of his
sensei' is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authorityThe word is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill:...
Shun-oku Soen.
By age 36 in 1608, Takuan was made abbot of the
Daitoku-jiis a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan, and originated as a small monastery founded in 1315 or 1319 by the monk Shūhō Myōcho , who is better known by the title Daitō Kokushi bestowed on him by the...
Temple in
Kyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area....
, Japan.
Takuan Sōhō (沢庵 宗彭, 1573–1645) was a major figure in the
Rinzai schoolThe Rinzai school is one of the three Japanese Zen sects. Rinzai is the Japanese line of the Chinese Linji school, which was founded during the Tang Dynasty by Linji Yixuan...
of Zen Buddhism.
Takuan Sōhō was born into a family of farmers in the town of Izushi, located in what was at that time called
Tajima provincewas an old province of Japan in the area that is today northern Hyōgo Prefecture. Tajima bordered on Harima, Inaba, Tamba, and Tango provinces.The ancient provincial capital is near the modern town of Hidaka, although a major castle town was built at Izushi...
(present-day
Hyōgo Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
). At the age of 8 in 1581 young Takuan began his religious studies and 2 years later he entered a Buddhist monastery. By the age of 14 in 1587, Takuan started studying the
Rinzai schoolThe Rinzai school is one of the three Japanese Zen sects. Rinzai is the Japanese line of the Chinese Linji school, which was founded during the Tang Dynasty by Linji Yixuan...
of Zen Buddhism under the tutelage of his
sensei' is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authorityThe word is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill:...
Shun-oku Soen.
By age 36 in 1608, Takuan was made abbot of the
Daitoku-jiis a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan, and originated as a small monastery founded in 1315 or 1319 by the monk Shūhō Myōcho , who is better known by the title Daitō Kokushi bestowed on him by the...
Temple in
Kyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area....
, Japan. Unfortunately, Takuan's appointment was shortened as he left for a prolonged period of traveling. Throughout his journeys, Takuan raised and collected funds for the renovation of
Daitoku-jiis a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan, and originated as a small monastery founded in 1315 or 1319 by the monk Shūhō Myōcho , who is better known by the title Daitō Kokushi bestowed on him by the...
Temple and other Zen temples.
In 1629, Takuan was
banished to northern Japan by the Shogunate of Hidetada Tokugawa due to his protest of political interference in Buddhist temple matters pertaining to ecclesiastical appointments. By 1632, there was a general
amnestyAmnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent persons. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the offense. The word has the same root as amnesia...
after the death of Hidetada Tokugawa and Takuan’s period of banishment came at an end. Later, Takuan was invited by
Tokugawa IemitsuTokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
(1604–51) to become the first abbot of Tokai-ji Temple in
Edo, literally: bay-door, "estuary", ), also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, which was constructed especially for the Tokugawa family.
Takuan Sōhō died in
Edo, literally: bay-door, "estuary", ), also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(present-day
Tokyo, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the city of Tokyo in the eastern part of the prefecture, totaling over 8 million people....
) in December of 1645. At the moment before his death, Takuan painted the
Chinese characterA Chinese character, also known as a Han character , is a logogram used in writing Chinese , Japanese , less frequently Korean , and formerly Vietnamese , and other languages...
夢 ("
dreamDreams are a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout recorded history. The scientific study of dreams is known as...
"), laid down his brush and died. His tomb is located in the Shinagawa area of
Tokyo, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the city of Tokyo in the eastern part of the prefecture, totaling over 8 million people....
at Oyama Cemetery of Tokaiji Temple.
It is stated that Takuan advised and befriended many persons, from all social strata of life. Some of those include:
- Miyamoto Musashi
, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive style...
(kenjutsu, meaning "the art of the sword", is a term for classical Japanese sword arts , in particular those which predate the Meiji Restoration...
master)
- Matsudaira Dewa no Kami (Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in premodern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
)
- Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibu Shōho...
(Daimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in premodern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
)
- Kuroda Nagamasa
' was a daimyo of Japan. He was the son of Kuroda Kanbei.In 1577, When Nagamasa was a small child, his father was condemned as a spy by Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasa was kidnapped and nearly killed as a hostage...
(ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
Daimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in premodern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
)
- Yagyū Munenori
' was a Japanese swordsman, founder of the Edo branch of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, which he learned from his father Yagyū "Sekishusai" Muneyoshi. This was one of two official sword styles patronized by the Tokugawa Shogunate...
(Daimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in premodern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
and kenjutsu, meaning "the art of the sword", is a term for classical Japanese sword arts , in particular those which predate the Meiji Restoration...
master, head of Yagyū Shinkage-ryūis one of the oldest Japanese schools of swordsmanship . Its primary founder was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, who called the school Shinkage-ryū. In 1565, Nobutsuna bequeathed the school to his greatest student, Yagyū Munetoshi, who added his own name to the school. Today, the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū remains...
style of swordsmanship) - Takuan's writings to kenjutsu, meaning "the art of the sword", is a term for classical Japanese sword arts , in particular those which predate the Meiji Restoration...
master, Lord Yagyū Munenori, are commonly studied by contemporary martial artists.
- Go-Mizunoo (abdicated Japanese Emperor)
- Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
(Shogun is a military rank and historical title for Hereditary Commanders in Chief of the Armed Forces of Japan. The modern rank is equivalent to a Generalissimo...
)
- Itō Ittōsai (swordsman)
With regards to his character, Takuan remained largely unaffected by his popularity and famed reputation. Known for his ascerbic wit and integrity of character, Takuan exerted himself to bring the spirit of Zen Buddhism to many and diverse aspects of Japanese culture, such as Japanese swordsmanship,
gardeningThe or "dry landscape" gardens, often called "Zen gardens" were influenced mainly by Zen Buddhism and can be found at Zen temples of meditation.Japanese gardens are a living work of art in which the plants and trees are ever changing with the seasons...
, Sumi-e,
Shodo"Shōdō" is the fortieth single by B'z, released on January 25, 2006. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts. This song was the opening theme of Case Closed....
, and
SadoThe , or "the Way of Tea," is the ceremonial preparation and presentation of the powdered green tea known as matcha. The tea ceremony is highly ritualized and the manner in which it is performed or the art of its performance is known as . Zen Buddhism was integral to the ceremony's development,...
. His collected writings total 6 volumes and over 100 published poems, including his best known treatise,
The Unfettered Mindis a three-part treatise on Buddhist philosophy and martial arts written by Takuan Sōhō, a Japanese monk of the Rinzai sect. The title translates roughly to "The Mysterious Records of Immovable Wisdom". The treatise was written as correspondence to Yagyū Munenori, inheritor to the Yagyū...
. His influence still permeates the work of many present-day exponents of Zen Buddhism and
martial artsMartial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat...
. He has also been credited with the invention of the yellow pickled
DaikonDaikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, is a mild-flavored, very large, white East Asian radish...
radish that carries the same name, "
Takuan, also known as Takuwan, is a popular traditional Japanese pickle. It is made from daikon radish. In addition to being served alongside other types of tsukemono in traditional Japanese cuisine, takuan is also enjoyed at the end of meals as it is thought to aid digestion.Takuan is made by first...
."
He is featured as a character in
Vagabondis an ongoing manga by Takehiko Inoue, portraying a fictionalized account of Miyamoto Musashi's life, on a loose adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi....
, a
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
series, which is largely based on
Eiji Yoshikawawas a Japanese historical novelist, probably one of the best and most famous authors in the genre. Among his most well-known novels, most are revisions of past works. He was mainly influenced by classics such as The Tale of the Heike, Tale of Genji, Outlaws of the Marsh, and Romance of the Three...
's equally successful book,
Miyamoto Musashi, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive style...
.
External links