Shunryu Suzuki, a Japanese Zen monk, founded the San Francisco Zen Center in 1962. He was invited to the United States by the American Buddhist scholar D.T. Suzuki (no relation) to serve as the head priest of the Soto Zen temple Sokoji in San Francisco.

Suzuki arrived in San Francisco in 1959 and quickly gained a following of students interested in Zen Buddhism. However, he soon realized that there was not a suitable place for his students to practice and deepen their understanding of Zen. This led him to establish the San Francisco Zen Center in 1962.

The center was initially located in a small apartment on Bush Street, with Suzuki serving as the resident teacher. As the number of students grew, the center moved to a larger space on Page Street in 1966. This location became known as the City Center and served as the main practice and administrative center for the San Francisco Zen Center.

In 1967, the center acquired Tassajara Hot Springs, a remote mountain property in the Ventana Wilderness, as a practice and retreat center. This was the first Zen monastery established outside of Asia and became a place for students to deepen their practice and study under Suzuki's guidance.

Suzuki's teachings and the growth of the San Francisco Zen Center had a significant impact on the spread of Zen Buddhism in the West. He emphasized the importance of zazen (sitting meditation) and the integration of Zen practice into everyday life. His teachings also attracted many prominent figures, including musicians, artists, and writers, who helped to popularize Zen in American culture.

Suzuki remained the head teacher of the San Francisco Zen Center until his death in 1971. However, his legacy continued through his students, who went on to establish other Zen centers and spread the teachings of Zen throughout the United States and beyond.

Today, the San Francisco Zen Center continues to thrive as one of the largest and most influential Zen centers in the West. It offers a variety of programs and retreats for students of all levels, and remains a place for people to come and experience the transformative power of Zen practice, just as Shunryu Suzuki intended when he founded it over 50 years ago.