sesshū tōyō (; oda tōyō since 1431, also known as "tōyō", "unkoku", or "bikeisai"; 1420 – 26 august 1506) was the most prominent japanese master of ink and wash painting from the middle muromachi period. he was born into the samurai oda family (小田家), then brought up and educated to become a rinzai zen buddhist priest. however, early in life he displayed a talent for visual arts, and eventually became one of the greatest japanese artists of his time, widely revered throughout japan and china.