Jokaku (上覚)

Jokaku (1147 - October, 1226) was a Buddhist monk of the Shingon Sect from the late Heian period to the early Kamakura period. His homyo (priest's name) was also written as 上学・浄覚. His imina (personal name) was Gyoji. His go (pen name) was Nishiyama Inshi. His father was Muneshige YUASA who was the uncle of Myokei (Koben).

According to 'Gukansho' (Jottings of a Fool), a history book written by Jien (the son of Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) Fujiwara no Tadamichi) of Tendai-zasu (head priest of the Tendai Sect), he joined hands with Taira no Kiyomori, along with his father Muneshige, when the Heiji War occurred in 1159. It is believed that he entered the priesthood after that. He studied under Mongaku, cooperated with Mongaku in restoring Jingo-ji Temple and strove for the management of Jingo-ji Temple after Mongaku's death. Myokei, his cousin, became a Buddhist monk of Jingo-ji Temple after studying under Jokaku.

He also excelled in waka and wrote 'Waka Iroha' () of Kagakusho (a book on the study of waka poems), and 'Genpo-shu' (玄宝集) of shisenshu.

[Original Japanese]