Sennyo (宣如)
Sennyo (1602 - August 23, 1658) was a Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land Sect Buddhism) priest and the 13th Hoshu (high priest) of the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. His ingo (title given to a Buddhist priest) was Higashitaiin. His imina (personal name) was Koju. His gago (pseudonym) was Gukei. His childhood name was Nagamaro.
He was born the 12th child (3rd son) of Kyonyo, the 12th Hoshu of the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. Because his two older brothers, Sonnyo and Kannyo, died early, he became the hoshi (a successor to an abbacy), and when Kyonyo died in 1614, he succeeded as the 13th Hoshu. In 1641, he had Jozan ISHIKAWA structure a Japanese garden on the land he received from Iemitsu TOKUGAWA (Shoseien Garden of today), where he retreated after passing over the post of Hoshu to his second son, Takunyo, in 1653.
He died on August 23, 1658 at the age of 57.