Meet Rev. Matt Hamasaki

Reverend Matt Hamasaki was born and raised in Berkeley, California where he grew up attending the Berkeley Buddhist Temple. It was there that his interest Buddhism began and was fostered by the Sunday school teachers who entertained his smarty pants questions and energetic behavior. In high school, he deepened his connection by attending conferences through the Jr Young Buddhist Association. These gatherings taught Buddhist lessons and networked relationships under the guise of having fun and dances. It was at one of these conferences where he decided to pursue the ministry.

He continued his education getting a bachelor’s in Religious Studies at UC Davis and his masters in Buddhism from the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Rev Matt received tokudo ordination in 2012 and kyoshi certification in 2015 after which he was assigned to the Central California District. In 2018 he was reassigned to the Buddhist Church of Sacramento.

When he’s not busy with family or work, he enjoys watching sports, cooking, and playing video games. He also likes working out but does not do that as much as he should. Rev Matt is self-diagnosed autistic with ADHD. His interests are varied and intense for short periods of time. He is excited to meet you but also has trouble reading social situations and the appropriate responses so he is grateful for your patience and understanding.