Sen no Rikyu House site

Closed on January 17th and February 19th, 2024.
Sen no Rikyu was born in Sakai and brought great success to the wabi-cha
style of Japanese tea ceremony. He wielded considerable power as the
greatest tea master in the land, and is still known as the "Tea Saint" and
founder of the Senke tea ceremony houses. The site of his home include the
famous camellia well, and a well roof made from the Daitokuji temple gate,
a place with a strong connection to Rikyu.

Sen no Rikyu (1552-1591) was born in Imaichi Town in the year 1522, Sakai (now
Shukuin-nishi 1 cho) as the eldest son of a wealthy fish seller, and named Yoshiro
at birth. From age of 17, he learned tea ceremony from Dochin Kitamuki, before
going on to learn from Jōō Takeno, and eventually bringing great success to the
wabi-cha style of tea ceremony. His tea brought him into proximity with Nobunaga,
and after the warlord's death he served as Hideyoshi's head tea master, wielding
great authority. But after the role he played at Odawara, he purchased Hideyoshi's
anger and so committed ritual suicide. He is still revered today as the "Tea Saint"
and founder of the Senke tea ceremony houses.
The camellia well that remains in the grounds of the house is said to have had
camellia ashes sunk into it. The well roof is made from the Daitokuji temple gate,
a place with a strong connection to Rikyu. After restoration work in 2015, it is now
possible to go inside the site.