Born locally, Mr. Ueno is the youngest son in the family of monks of a Zen temple in Kobato, Tsuruoka City. After graduating from university, he worked for a time in Tokyo, as a designer in an automotive parts company. In his workplace, he encountered some misunderstanding with a colleague, and was browsing for some advice in a bookstore, when he found some words of Zen wisdom in a self-help book. These words prompted a gradual recognition of his relationship to his home temple, and when his older brother became ill and unable to be the successor at the family temple, Mr. Ueno felt the time had come to return home. He completed his training in Zenpoji in the spring of 2019.

Message to participants in the Zen at Zenpoji Experience:

“Designing is like Zen. It pursues simplicity and leaves out the excess, but design can only be realised with the support of many people working together. It leads you to an appreciation for our ties to others; this is what I’d like to introduce you to during this experience.”

Favorite Book: Zuimonki by Dogen