Imai Sokyu
Encyclopedia
was an important 16th century merchant in the Japanese port town of Sakai
, and a master of the tea ceremony
. His yagō
was Naya.
A relative of the Amago
and Sasaki
samurai clans, Sōkyū originally came from Yamato Province
. After settling in Sakai, he studied the tea ceremony under Takeno Jōō
, eventually marrying Jōō's daughter and inheriting his teawares and lineage as a tea master. In his business, Sōkyū traded primarily in firearms and ammunition. Around 1554, after donating a large sum to the Daitoku-ji
, he organized a shake-up in the local merchant circles by which he climbed into a position of considerable influence, and became a member of the city's leadership council.
He traveled to the capital in 1568, where he met with warlord Oda Nobunaga
, and gifted him a number of teawares which had belonged to earlier masters. He thus earned Nobunaga's favor, and was granted a noble title.
Shortly afterwards, when Nobunaga sought to lay claim of Sakai, many members of the council debated seeking defense from the Miyoshi clan
, but Sōkyū was among those who suggested that the city submit. He acted as mediator to arrange the peaceful submission of the city, and was rewarded by Nobunaga with a lucrative commission to manufacture firearms for the Oda clan
, and a post as a local magistrate. Sōkyū came to be responsible for tax collecting in the outskirts of the city, and for pass-port applications and related matters. He was also assigned some jurisdiction over the nearby Tajima silver mine, and over the blacksmiths and metallurgists of the area, from whom he gathered materials to produce firearms and fireworks.
Afterwards Sōkyū instructed Nobunaga in the ways of tea ceremony, also winning over the favor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
. Sōkyū was also present during the "Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony" of 1586, and served as one of Hideyoshi's three tea masters, alongside Sen no Rikyū
and Tsuda Sōgyū
. The same year, he helped prepare lacquer
for a massive wooden statue of the Buddha
which Hideyoshi saw constructed.
Sōkyū passed on his business and his official post to his son, Imai Sōkun
, who would continue his father's legacy as tea master and advisor to Hideyoshi, and later to Tokugawa Ieyasu
. Sōkyū died in 1593, at the age of 73, leaving a number of books of memoirs and records.
The Ōbaian, a teahouse related to him still exists in Sakai's Daisen Park. Sōkyū is buried at the Rinkō-ji in Sakai.
Sakai, Osaka
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...
, and a master of the tea ceremony
Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called . The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called...
. His yagō
YAGO
YAGO was an early LAN startup acquired by Cabletron Systems in the mid-1990s, fueling its growth into Gigabit Ethernet switching and ultimately being re-spun off into the entity Riverstone Networks....
was Naya.
A relative of the Amago
Amago clan
The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun...
and Sasaki
Sasaki clan
are a historical Japanese clan. - Brief history :They are descended directly from Emperor Uda by his grandson Minamoto no Masanobu , but were adopted by the Seiwa Genji...
samurai clans, Sōkyū originally came from Yamato Province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
. After settling in Sakai, he studied the tea ceremony under Takeno Jōō
Takeno Joo
was a master of the tea ceremony and a well-known merchant during the Sengoku period of the 16th century in Japan. His name has come down in Japanese cultural history because he followed Murata Jukō as an early proponent of wabi-cha, and was chanoyu teacher to Sen Rikyū.It is believed that the...
, eventually marrying Jōō's daughter and inheriting his teawares and lineage as a tea master. In his business, Sōkyū traded primarily in firearms and ammunition. Around 1554, after donating a large sum to the Daitoku-ji
Daitoku-ji
is a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The "mountain name" , who is known by the title Daitō Kokushi, or "National Teacher of the Great Lamp," that he was given by Emperor Go-Daigo...
, he organized a shake-up in the local merchant circles by which he climbed into a position of considerable influence, and became a member of the city's leadership council.
He traveled to the capital in 1568, where he met with warlord Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, and gifted him a number of teawares which had belonged to earlier masters. He thus earned Nobunaga's favor, and was granted a noble title.
Shortly afterwards, when Nobunaga sought to lay claim of Sakai, many members of the council debated seeking defense from the Miyoshi clan
Miyoshi clan
The Miyoshi clan is a Japanese family descended from Emperor Seiwa and the Minamoto clan . They were a cadet branch of the Ogasawara clan and the Takeda clan....
, but Sōkyū was among those who suggested that the city submit. He acted as mediator to arrange the peaceful submission of the city, and was rewarded by Nobunaga with a lucrative commission to manufacture firearms for the Oda clan
Oda clan
The was a family of Japanese daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several branches of the family would continue on as daimyo...
, and a post as a local magistrate. Sōkyū came to be responsible for tax collecting in the outskirts of the city, and for pass-port applications and related matters. He was also assigned some jurisdiction over the nearby Tajima silver mine, and over the blacksmiths and metallurgists of the area, from whom he gathered materials to produce firearms and fireworks.
Afterwards Sōkyū instructed Nobunaga in the ways of tea ceremony, also winning over the favor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
. Sōkyū was also present during the "Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony" of 1586, and served as one of Hideyoshi's three tea masters, alongside Sen no Rikyū
Sen no Rikyu
, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of wabi-cha...
and Tsuda Sōgyū
Tsuda Sogyu
belonged to the influential family of merchants of Sakai whose business name was Tennōjiya. Together with his father, Tsuda Sōtatsu, he built the Tennōjiya into one of the most prosperous business houses in Sakai...
. The same year, he helped prepare lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
for a massive wooden statue of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
which Hideyoshi saw constructed.
Sōkyū passed on his business and his official post to his son, Imai Sōkun
Imai Sokun
was a prominent weapons merchant in the Japanese port town of Sakai, and master of the Japanese tea ceremony. He was also known by the names Imai Hiratsuna and Imai Kanehisa....
, who would continue his father's legacy as tea master and advisor to Hideyoshi, and later to Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
. Sōkyū died in 1593, at the age of 73, leaving a number of books of memoirs and records.
The Ōbaian, a teahouse related to him still exists in Sakai's Daisen Park. Sōkyū is buried at the Rinkō-ji in Sakai.