The Japanese tea ceremony is world-famous, we believe. Then, how much do you understand the tea rooms where tea ceremonies held? There are many historically famous tea rooms all around Japan. However, we suppose, if we research their current status, they are quite often confusing and behind the screens in a sense. After this introduction, we'll try to describe these of historic tea rooms.
Uraku-en Jo-an (有楽苑 如庵) : National treasure
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| 如庵 |
This building was built by Oda Urakusai (織田有楽斎) who was a famous warrior and tea master, at the Shoden-in (正伝院) temple in 1618. The Shoden-in temple was a tatchuu (塔頭) temple of the Kennin-ji (建仁寺) in the Kyoto city. ( a 'tatchuu' is a subsidiary temple belonging to the main temple) It's now located in the garden-park named the Japanese garden ' Uraku-en' in the Inuyama city, Aichi prefecture.
Now, you have to understand the unit of area, tatami- 1-jo (畳１帖). Tatami- 1-jo means the width around 90 centimeters by 180 centimeters. And, tea masters at the Sengoku era represented by Sen-no Rikyu (千利休) considered it was necessary to narrow down the width of the tea rooms. For example, Sen-no Rikyu thought the width of tatami- 8-jo which was popular at that time was too wide to exchange guests and master. At first, he made a tatami- 4.5-jo width tea room for his proof theory. Furthermore, he made a tatami- 1.5-jo width tea room in the end.
Against the mainstream, the width of this tea room is 'Ni-jo han daime.' Ni-jo han daime means 2-tatami plus 0.5-tatami plus 0.75-tatami, so, the total width is 3.25-tatami. He didn't choose the extreme narrowness for his tea room. This expression he said is very famous, "A tatami- 2.5-jo width or a tatami- 1.5-jo width will be more a pain than a treat."
Urasen-ke Kan-un-tei (裏千家 寒雲亭) : National important cultural asset, Urasen-ke Kon-nichi-an (裏千家 今日庵) : National important cultural asset, Urasen-ke Dairo-no-ma (裏千家 大炉の間) : National important cultural asset, Urasen-ke Ryu-sei-ken (裏千家 溜精軒) : National important cultural asset, Urasen-ke Yu-in (裏千家 又隠) : National important cultural asset, Urasen-ke Mushiki-ken (裏千家 無色軒) : National important cultural asset
Urasen-ke is a clan or a kinship group which leads the tea ceremony community in Japan. The Urasen-ke residence is located at Kyoto city Kamikyo ward. It was originally made in 1578, and was destroyed by fire in 1788. So, it was reconstructed after the fire, and was experienced building extensions and renovations many times after the reconstruction. Apart from 6 famous tea rooms above, there are so many other tea rooms in it.
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| 寒雲亭（鎌倉市） |
The plan is 8-tatami plus 1-tatami-width Tokonoma (床の間), alcove for displaying. It was supposed to be used for large-scale ceremonies. To tell the truth, there is another original at Toukei-ji temple in Kamakura city, Kanagawa prefecture. This building is an individual flat and it has an authentic story such as when they moved, why they earned. So they insist their Kan-un-tei is the genuine (so, Kan-un-tei in Kyoto city is an artificial). The inside atmosphere is so different.
The Kan-un-tei in Kamakura city is displayed by Syoin-zukuri (書院造) style and has kind of formal atmosphere. On the contrary, the Kan-un-tei in Kyoto city is displayed by Wabicha (侘び茶) style and has kind of relaxed atmosphere. We just saw them in pictures, but the impression is quite different.
Urasen-ke Kon-nichi-an (裏千家 今日庵)
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| 今日庵 |
Urasen-ke Dairo-no-ma (裏千家 大炉の間)
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| 大炉の間 |
This tea room was made at the time of the extension in 1856. It's consisted with 8-tatami room and 6-tatami room, so total is 14-tatami in width. At this time, tea rooms were made for other purpose. At first, it was for service by the master to the guest. But then, especially in the Urasen-ke residence, it was for teaching of many apprentices who wanted to learn the ceremony. By this extension, several separate buildings were connected.
So, for example, Kan-un-tei which was separated from the main residence was connected. And, the Dairo-no-ma was made in the center of the complex. They positioned the Dairo-no-ma as the most important tea room of this residence.
Urasen-ke Ryu-sei-ken (裏千家 溜精軒)
Same as the Dairo-no-ma, it was made at the time of the extension in 1856. It's located between one individual room to the next, and it looks like a hallway. But when you close the sliding doors, this space changes a tea room. The room is 6-tatami in width.
Urasen-ke Yu-in (裏千家 又隠)
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| 又隠 |
Urasen-ke Mushiki-ken (裏千家 無色軒)
The construction date was uncertain, but the planner was the 4th master. (In addition, the most famous Kan-un-tei was planned by the 3rd.) The room is 6-tatami plus 1-tatami size wood floor in width.
Omotesen-ke Shofu-ro (表千家 松風楼), Omotesen-ke Tensetsu-do (表千家 点雪堂) : National important cultural asset, Omotesen-ke Fushin-an (表千家 不審庵)
Omotesen-ke is also a leading tea ceremony community in Japan. The Omotesen-ke residence is also located at Kyoto city Kamikyo ward. However, we couldn't find the information of the residence. Famous tea rooms are mostly young. And also they have only one national important cultural asset. We doubt they hide their history in the veil.
Omotesen-ke Shofu-ro (表千家 松風楼)
Shofu-ro was made in 1921. It has 8-tatami main room, 5-tatami east-room, 4-tatami west-room, and 8-0.75tatami south-room. It's for large scale tea ceremony.
Omotesen-ke Tensetsu-do (表千家 点雪堂)
Tensetsu-do is a 4-tatami tea room made in 1839. It was the renovation of the previous tea room. There isn't enough information in the Internet, so we can't describe its history.
Omotesen-ke Fushin-an (表千家 不審庵)
Fushin-an is a 3-tatami tea room made in 1913. It's also the renovated. And also, there isn't enough information in the Internet, so we don't know the back.
Gyokurin-in Kasumidoko-no-ma (玉林院 霞床の間) : National important cultural asset, Gyokurin-in Sa-an (玉林院 蓑庵) : National important cultural
Gyokurin-in Kasumidoko-no-ma (玉林院 霞床の間)
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| 南明庵 |
Gyokurin-in Sa-an (玉林院 蓑庵)
Sa-an is another tea room and 3-tatami in width.
Kodai-ji Iho-an (高台寺 遺芳庵), Kodai-ji Shigure-tei + Karakasa tei (高台寺 時雨亭＋傘亭) : National important cultural
Kodai-ji Iho-an (高台寺 遺芳庵)
It was built on the property of the Kodai-ji temple in Kyoto city Higasiyama ward. The building was moved here in 1908. The width is 1.75-tatami tea room and same size Mizuya (washing place). The original was supposed to be made at early times in the Edo period, however, this is more young.
Kodai-ji Shigure-tei + Karakasa tei (高台寺 時雨亭＋傘亭)
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| 時雨亭 |
The floor of the Shigure-tei isn't covered with tatami mats, so, we have difficulty to describe the width of it. The width is around 6-tatami. There is worthy of a special mention that is the location of this tea room. It's on the second floor of a thin building, and the master and the guest have to climb the wooden ladder for the ceremony. We doubt they can hold formally arranged ceremony or not.
And the Karakasa-tei is connected with the first floor of the Shigure-tei by an open hallway. The width is 6-tatami. It was built in the early Edo period. And supposed that originally built on the property of the Fushimi castle and removed here later.
Koho-an Bo-sen (弧篷庵 忘筌) : National important cultural
It was built on the property of the Koho-an (Kyoto city Kita ward), one of the tatchuu temples of the Daitoku-ji. The original was destroyed by fire in 1793. The date of the reconstruction was not clear, but we suppose it was around 1800. It's 12-tatami in width.
Konchi-in Hasso-seki (金地院 八窓席) : National important cultural
It was built on the property of the Konchi-in (Kyoto city Higashiyama ward), one of the tatchuu temples of the Nanzen-ji. It was made by renovating the original one around 1628. Then the renovated one became famous and had the name, "Hasso-seki." It's 3.75-tatami in width.
Saio-in Yodomi-no-seki (西翁院 澱看席) : National important cultural
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| 澱看席 |
Kainyo-an (皆如庵)
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| 皆如庵 |
