In 754, the Tang priest named Ganjin (aka Janzen) was welcomed to Naniwa, and in the following year of 755, Kenkei abandoned the former Buddhist precepts and received gusokukai (i.e. full precepts) from Ganjin.
754年（天平勝宝6年）唐の僧鑑真を難波に迎え、翌755年（天平勝宝7年）には旧戒を破棄して鑑真から具足戒を受けた。