Born the eldest son of a village headman's family at Izumozaki in Echigo (Niigata).
Though meant to succeed as headman, he could not adapt to the work and entered a temple as a monk.
Following his master Kokusen, he moved to Entsū-ji at Tamashima in Bitchū (Kurashiki, Okayama) and underwent rigorous training.
His training complete, his master certified his awakening. When Kokusen died the next year, Ryōkan set off wandering.
Around this time he returned to Echigo. Declining to head a temple, he lived simply on alms.
Around this time he settled in Gogōan, a tiny hut on Mount Kugami. Tales tell of him playing ball and hide-and-seek with children.
Around this time he left many fine waka, Chinese poems and works of calligraphy; his free, graceful hand is still greatly admired.
Aging, he moved to a hut beside Otogo Shrine at the foot of the mountain.
Growing frail, he was taken in by the Kimura family of Shimazaki village.
He met the young nun Teishin, and they exchanged waka in a deep friendship of the heart.
He died attended by Teishin and others, reportedly murmuring the verse "Showing its back, then its front, the maple leaf falls."
Daikokuya KōdayūKitagawa UtamaroMogami TokunaiŌtsuki GentakuMatsudaira SadanobuKatsushika HokusaiHanaoka SeishūSantō Kyōden
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.