The Story of Ikkyu (Japanese Zen Monk)

Ikkyu was the most famous Zen monk in Japanese history. He was known for his quick‐wittedness to deal with challenges by authority, and his ability to find clever and creative solutions in the moment. There are so many fun, witty, and surprising stories of Ikkyu, and Japanese people still tell them. Here, we'd love to introduce two stories of Ikkyu, and photos of his temple in Kyoto!

Screenplay and Illustrations by COCORO
Narration and Voice of Ikkyu by Toko Shiiki
Voice of Osho-san and the Shogun by Erik Santos

Special thanks to COCORO, Toko Shiiki, and Erik Santos for generously sharing the rights to this video with the Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati. We sincerely appreciate this special gift to our community!