Charles Tenshin Fletcher Roshi is the primary teacher and abbot at Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center.

Born in Manchester, England, Tenshin Roshi came to the United States in 1979 to study at the Zen Center of Los Angeles with founder Taizan Maezumi Roshi. In 1994, Tenshin Roshi received Dharma Transmission (authorization to teach) in the White Plum lineage from Maezumi Roshi, and Inka (Zen Master, final seal of approval) from Genpo Merzel Roshi in 2006. Tenshin Roshi is one of the few North American teachers officially certified as a Kokusaifukyoshi (Official Foreign Representative), a title appointed in 2009 by the Soto Zen Headquarters in Japan.

In 2001 Tenshin Roshi co-authored a book with David Keizan Scott Sensei called “Way of Zen.” It was published by St Martin’s Press at their request for a comprehensive book on Zen Buddhism at the turn of the century. As such, it is an invaluable resource on the history, various cultures and practices of Zen Buddhism from India to China, Japan and the United States and Europe.