Tsuji was born in Mission City, British Columbia, graduated from the University of British Columbia, and studied Buddhism at Ryukoku University.
[2] In 1942, during World War II, Tsuji was sent to a Canadian internment camp in Slocan, British Columbia.
From 1968 to 1981 Kenryu Tsuji served as the first North American born, first nisei Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America and also served as President of the Institute of Buddhist Studies.
Reverend Tsuji was the first Buddhist to be president of the United States affiliate of the World Conference on Religion and Peace from 1983 to 1989.
In 1993 he was a guest at the White House Interfaith Breakfast with President Bill Clinton.