Japanese Zen Buddhist monk Kaiten Nukariya (1867-1934) lived in the Meiji and Taisho periods. He was raised in Japan's Fukui Prefecture and received his Soto Zen instruction from famous Zen master Soyen Shaku. The book "The Religion of the Samurai," which examines the spiritual and intellectual activities of the samurai, is well known by Nukariya, a renowned writer and scholar. The Essence of Buddhism and Zen for Americans are only two of the several works he published on Buddhism and Zen. In addition to his writing and academic endeavors, Nukariya was a supporter of social and political change in Japan. He was a vocal supporter of the campaign for constitutional rule of law and a committed socialist. Writings of Nukariya have influenced the study of Buddhism and Zen for a very long time, and his works are still analyzed and admired by academics and practitioners all over the globe.