Yoshimoto Ishin (吉本伊信, May 25, 1916 – August 1, 1988) was a Japanese businessman and Jodo Shinshu Buddhist priest who was the founder of the Naikan (内観 looking inside) meditation method in the 1940s,[1] which later was utilised as a psychotherapy treatment.
During his study of Buddhism, Yoshimoto followed the ascetic practice of Mishirabe - an arduous form of meditation and self reflection which included physical privations including fasting, avoidance of sleep, and intense introspection sessions.
[2] Wanting to make this practice more accessible to everyone, Yoshimoto developed Naikan as a relatively easier method allowing anyone to gain the benefits of self reflection without the physical discomforts required by Mishirabe.
[2] At its core, Naikan is a method of structured self reflection based around three basic questions - What have I received from____?
[1] There are currently more than 30 Naikan centres in Japan, offering mental health counselling, addiction treatment, and the rehabilitation of prisoners.