Takuan was the second son of the samurai Akiba Tsunanori, a member of the Yamana Clan who became a rōnin after the clan was defeated by Oda Nobunaga. Takuan entered the local temple of Shōenj in 1582, then transferred to Sōkyōji, also in Izushi. From 1591, Takuan studied with Shunoku Sōen, formerly of Daitokuji and a Rinzai monk. Both Takuan and Shunoku transferred to Daitokuji in 1594 to the subtemple Sangen'in until 1599. The two were requested to move again in 1599 to Sawayama Castle at the behest of Ishida Mitsunari, who was defeated by Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Battle of Sekigahara. Takuan escaped back to Sangen'in, Kyoto, but moved again to Sakai until 1607, when he resettled at Daitokuji. From 1604 he had used the name Takuan. In 1609, Takuan was named the 154th abbot of Daitokuji though he spent most of his time traveling to raise funds for the temple. In 1620, Takuan returned to his home temple in Izushi, Sukyoji. Takuan was caught up in the "Purple Robe Incident" of 1627, in which the shogunate was endeavoring to break the strong relationship between the imperial court and Daitokuji. The shogunate demanded to have final word on the priests that led all the temples of Daitokuji, and when Emperor Go-Mizunoo awarded purple robes to each priest, the shogun confiscated them. Takuan protested and was exiled to Kaminoyama in Dewa Province (now Yamagata and Akita Prefectures). After the death of Shogun Hidetada in 1632, Takuan's exile was overturned, and he returned to Daitokuji, where he was given an audience with the new shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, who was in turn invited Takuan to Edo to give him lectures on Zen. Iemitsu built the temple Tōkaiji in Shinagawa for Takuan in 1639, so that the priest could be a close advisor. It was there that Takuan died in 1645. Takuan was known not just as a deeply educated priest, but also for his writings and lectures on inclusion of Zen spirit in swordsmanship, garden design, painting, calligraphy and tea ceremony. His best known treatise is, "The Unfettered Mind", which remains in print to the present. His renowned sharp humor is present in his painting of "Monk Raisan Baking Sweet Potatoes".