Rev. Cynthia Jikaku Yasaki

Rev. Cyndi Yasaki was born and raised in the city of Torrance, California and grew up going to the Gardena Buddhist Church where she became interested in learning about Buddhism. After graduating from high school, Rev. Cyndi attended the Youth Buddhist Retreat at Sacramento Betsuin in 2009 where she became a Youth Minister’s Assistant and received the Buddhist Name Shaku Jikaku. In 2013 she became a Certified Minister’s Assistant at the Gardena Buddhist Church. Rev. Cyndi graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor’s in Science in Health Sciences with a minor in Japanese in 2015.

Two years later she started her studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Rev. Cyndi completed her Certificate in Shin Buddhism in Spring 2019 and received the first level of ordination, Tokudo, in Kyoto, Japan in Summer 2019. She married her husband Rev. Tadao Koyama in 2020 and moved with him to Tacoma, WA upon his ministerial assignment as the Resident Minister of the Tacoma Buddhist Temple.

Rev. Cyndi received her Masters in Arts in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies and her second level of ordination, Kyoshi, in 2022.

In trying to stay healthy, Rev. Cyndi tries her best to practice taiko once a week. When not busy, Rev. Cyndi likes to relax with her husband and their cat, Irvin.