Renowned Buddhist priest in the late Edo Period (1603-1868). Gessho was the Chief priest of Jojuin, a sub-temple of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. He became closely associated with proimperial activists and contributed to overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate, to establish the Meiji Restoration. To escape from Ansei Purge by forces loyal to the shogunate, Gessho went with Takamori Saigo to Kagoshima. When they were refused asylum there, they threw themselves into Kinko Bay and only Takamori survived. Gessho's remains are divided between Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Nanrin-ji Temple in Kagoshima. In Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera precinct, there is a monument containing an engraving of his farewell poem.
Renowned Buddhist priest in the late Edo Period (1603-1868). Gessho was the Chief priest of Jojuin, a sub-temple of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. He became closely associated with proimperial activists and contributed to overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate, to establish the Meiji Restoration. To escape from Ansei Purge by forces loyal to the shogunate, Gessho went with Takamori Saigo to Kagoshima. When they were refused asylum there, they threw themselves into Kinko Bay and only Takamori survived. Gessho's remains are divided between Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Nanrin-ji Temple in Kagoshima. In Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera precinct, there is a monument containing an engraving of his farewell poem.
Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett
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