About Issho Fujita
Issho Fujita was born in 1954. He studied clinical and developmental psychology at the University of Tokyo (Todai). In addition to his academic studies, he intensely practiced aikido and the exercises of Noguchi, the father of " natural movement "At the age of 27, his acupuncture professor strongly suggested that he go to a 3-day retreat at Enkaku ji, the mother temple of the Rinzai school in Kamakura. Through this experience, he was deeply inspired by the practice of zazen. He interrupted his studies when he was destined for a brilliant teaching career in order to study Zen full-time and entered Antai ji, a Soto Zen monastery of the Kodo sawaki lineage and Kosho where he stayed for 7 years.
His master Uchiyama sent him in 1987 to the United States to be a resident teacher at the Pioneer Valley Zendo in Massachusetts. During these years and until 2005, he also taught at Smith College, Amberst College, Holyoke, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and in various institutions. In 2010 he was appointed to be the vice-director of the Soto Zen International Center in san francisco where he's been since half of his time, he also visits many Zen centers in order to teach the practice soto zen in the world. When he is not in the United States he resides in Hayama in the Kanagawa prefecture. , or he holds every week the zazen kai of Chizanso and continues his research early by practicing the slack line. He also travels all over Japan to teach Japanese monks and foreigners during their training (ango) and in universities.
He is the author to several books: "a modern reading of zazen, the path to shikantaza", "Buddhism 3.0, an update" and he translated several books in Japanese especially "Buddhism without belief" by Stephan Batchelor, "the Buddha feeling" by David Brazier and "the keys to Zen" by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Issho is looking for to articulate the depth of the simple practice of shikantaza in joyful and refreshing ways.
Conference "the revolutionary seat of Buddha", 2015 (English)