Keitetsu Genso (景轍玄蘇)

Keitetsu Genso (1537 - November 26, 1611) was a priest of the Rinzai Sect from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. His father was Takanari KAWAZU. His azana (adult males nickname) was Keitetsu. His go (a pen name) was Senso. He was born in Chikuzen Province.

During the Eiroku era (1558 - 1570) he became the chief priest of Shofuku-ji Temple in Hakata. After he served as the chief priest of Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto, in 1580 he went over to the Tsushima-jima Island at the invitation of Yoshishige SO of Tsushima Province. He founded Itei-an Temple and conducted diplomacy with Korea as a Japanese envoy. At the time of the Bunroku War, he was appointed by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI to be involved in a peace conference or negotiations with Korea. In 1595 under Hideyoshi's command he went over to Ming Dynasty in China and on this occasion was given the go (name) of Honko Kokushi by the Banreki Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Even after the formation of the Tokugawa government, he was in charge of diplomacy with Korea, such as concluding the Kiyu Treaty in 1609.

[Original Japanese]