was a Japanese philosopher specialized in philosophy of religion, especially in philosophy of Buddhism and Zen. He was a professor at Kyoto University and considered a third generation member of Kyoto School (京é½å¦派, Kyoto-gakuha).
Shizuteru Ueda was born in Tokyo, Japan.
As the son of a Buddhist priest, he studied philosophy at Kyoto University where his mentor Keiji Nishitani oriented his studies toward medieval mystics.
He then went to Germany and received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Marburg with a thesis on the Western Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart. He returned to Kyoto University to teach philosophy of religion. In 1976, He was awarded a Doctor of Letters (, Bungaku-Hakushi).
He later focused on the thought of Kitarà  Nishida. Being a Zen practitioner, UedaâÂÂlike NishidaâÂÂstudied Zen Buddhism under the philosophical categories of Western philosophy. He is considered a third generation member of Kyoto School.