Eshin Woodward is a U.S. born soto zen priest living in Japan. After graduating University of North Texas and starting a career as a commercial and jazz trumpet player in Chicago, Eshin was introduced to Buddhism at Buddhist Temple of Chicago, a Pure Land or Jodo Shinshu temple. Inspired by the teaching of Rev. Patti Nakai at B.T.C., Eshin continued to study Buddhism voraciously. Transitioning to graduate school five years later, Eshin found himself quickly embedded in the community at Buddha Eye Temple in Eugene, Oregon, where he took up residency, received precepts (jukai and the dharma name, Eshin) and a whole lot of inspiration from abbot, Rev. Ejo McMullen. Armed with a deeper practice experience and a fresh master's degree in jazz composition, Eshin returned to Chicago at the calling of work, both in music and in early childhood education.

In 2019, Eshin moved to Japan to get closer to Soto Zen's roots. With great fortune, Eshin became friends with a group of monks in a rural town east of Nagoya, among whom was Tetsudo Horiba, who became Eshin's ordaining and later dharma transmission master. Eshin spent two years in formal training monasteries, first in Toshoji in Okayama prefecture and then in Eiheiji. Eshin then spent a year working for his Hodoshi, or Dharma Combat ceremony master in rural Aichi Prefecture. Now, he joyfully works in a very humble position at Daihonzan Eiheiji, the monastery founded by Zen Master Eihei Dogen.