Rev. Ryokoh Matsui began her monastic training at Aichi Senmon Nisodo, a renowned Soto Zen Buddhist training monastery for women in Nagoya, Japan in 2003 and formally started Baika training in 2005. In April 2017, she was appointed Baika Ryu Tokuha, a prestigious title held by only about 35 instructors worldwide among thousands of Soto Zen priests. She led a Baika lecture tour across Hawaii in 2019 and continues to share Baika Ryu hymns, cherishing the joy of gathering and chanting.

Rev. Ryokei Ishii, born in Saitama, Japan, moved to New Zealand in 1993 to attend English language school there, and later earned a degree in Interior Design from the Design & Arts College of New Zealand in 1999.After spending two years training at Sojiji Monastery from 2000 to 2002, Rev. Ishii moved to Hawaii in 2008, where he served as a minister at Soto Mission of Hawaii Nuuanu Betsuin until 2018. Since April 2018, he has been the Resident Minister at the Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji. Rev. Ishii has extensive experience in Baika, having started in 2007, and earning the rank of Baikaryu 4 th Grade Shihan. Rev. Ishii, along with wife Mrs. Ikuko Ishii, lead the Waipahu Taiyoji Baika-ko and often teaches at the other Soto Mission temples in Hawaii.

Ikuko Ishii of Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji originally joined the Hawaii Betsuin Shoboji Baika-ko in 2010 while her husband, Rev. Ryokei Ishii, was assigned as a resident minister at the Soto Mission of Hawaii. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Faye Komagata, Ikuko participated in annual Baika workshops led by Baika Shihan (certified instructors) from Japan. She currently holds the rank of Jizoku 4th Kyu-Eihan and teaches Baika every Wednesday at Waipahu Taiyoji.