born Nov. 13, 1268, Echizen province, Japan
died Sept. 22, 1325, Noto province
Japanese Buddhist priest and founder of the Sōji Temple, one of the two head temples of the Sōtō sect of Zen Buddhism .
He joined the priesthood at age 12; after completing his studies, he taught the Sōtō doctrine for 10 years. He was named head priest at Shogaku Temple, which he affiliated with the Sōtō sect in 1321. It was destroyed by fire in 1898 and later rebuilt on its present site at Yokohama. Keizan devoted himself to building temples and spreading Sōtō teachings to all parts of Japan. Now called Taiso ("Great Master"), he is revered as the restorer of the Sōtō sect.