“Nothing is decided, and there are no limits”
Oda Soyu,
17th successor to the leading house
of the Uraku ‘Samurai’ Style Tea Ceremony
Interview
Oda Urakusai and the Tea Ceremony:
the Uraku Style of Tea
‘Samurai House Tea and Commoner’s Tea’
During the Muromachi period Sen no Rikyu developed the style of Tea Ceremony called Wabicha, and two styles of Tea Ceremony came into being, one popular among the samurai, and the other practiced by commoners.The samurai style of the tea ceremony has its origins in the tea drinking practices of the temples. For the military class, a dignified and austere style emphasizing posture and preparedness was most appropriate, and the teaching of the tea ceremony for samurai therefore focused on rudiments and processes. In the samurai style one takes steps in a manner that resembles the walk of Noh actors. The thinking behind the solemn movements of Noh theater, which was created in the Muromachi period and performed for the benefit of the samurai, is a significant presence in the Samurai-style Tea Ceremony, as well.Daimyo (Lord’s) Tea, a sub-style of the Uraku Samurai Tea Ceremony which was practiced in the homes of samurai, was said to express the tastes of the samurai (both in education and shared values.) For this reason, Samurai House Tea Ceremony, and in particular Lord’s Tea, was rarely practiced among commoners.In the commoner’s ceremonmy, the exchange between the master and his/her guest is of the greatest importance. This form of the ceremony is also well-established, and is comprised of many distinct elements which must be mastered.In either style, participants focus their attention directly upon the guest, with the preparation of the tea being the central point of the experience.
“Tea in the Uraku-Style“
A principle of the Uraku style of tea is that “there are no limits.” This applies to the practice and learning of the practitioner, as well as the interaction with the guest. Every effort must be made to prepare an environment conducive to conversation with the guest. Whether it be a piece of calligraphy, the flower arrangement, the accoutrements of the ceremony, or the accompanying confections, each must be interwoven with the conversation of the particular season, leading to endless possibilities for thought and reflection. This is one of the pleasures of the Tea Ceremony.Another principle of Uraku-Style Tea Ceremony is “adaptation to circumstance.”There are times when the usual process of the ceremony cannot be followed, even by an experienced practitioner. This might be due to inclement weather, or an issue with the utensils, but whatever the reason it is important at such times not to fixate on a single thought, but to respond creatively to the needs of the moment. Moreover, whether considering the feelings of the guest, or thinking of the overall effect of the ceremony, one must grasp what is most essential in each moment. This awareness becomes possible through constant polishing of one’s practice and attentiveness.One’s skill in the practice of the tea ceremony will, with continual effort, become second nature. When this happens the process of tea brewing will flow naturally, and adaptation to circumstances will also take place without effort.
“Good presentation”
The term “good presentation” (mitate yoku) is often used in the Uraku ceremony to describe placement of tea vessels and accoutrements. One wants to arrange the utensils in such a way that their appearance is pleasing to the eye. There is also a functional purpose to the layout of the articles, as their handling is the focal point of the ceremony.In the writings of the Oda House of Tea there is frequent reference to the term “good presentation.” But there is no set position for the vessels. This has to do with the aesthetic tastes and philosophy of the founder, Oda Uraku Sai.
Studying the Way of Tea
In the Tea Ceremony water is heated in the traditional way, and the tea is mixed and whisked to the proper consistency, much as it was in the Buddhist temples during the Muromachi period, where the practice was known as “Chanoyu.” Today, the Tea Ceremony is still referred to as “Chanoyu.” As mentioned, it is not enough to simply brew the tea. One must focus his/her awareness upon the guest, even as each step of the brewing process is undertaken. All that is present in that moment – the decorative calligraphy, a painting and flower arrangement of the alcove, the accoutrements of the ceremony itself (ceramic vessels, iron pot and brazier, bamboo tools), even the garden and the architecture of the tea house – is to be considered and appreciated. The effort to broaden ones learning, and to improve oneself, is essential to the discipline.
“Shingyousou”
In Japan one often hears the aesthetic term “shingyousou” applied to calligraphy, flower arranging, the Tea Ceremony, the Japanese Garden and other cultural assets, as a way of expressing grades of artistic form. For instance, in calligraphy these terms are used separately to express standard lettering styles (shin), cursive forms (gyou) and extremely stylized scripts (sou). “Shin” is the most formal, while “so” breaks formal rules; “gyou” falls somewhere in between the two.
The concept of “shingyousou” can also be used to describe the style of a bow, the placement of utensils in the Tea Ceremony, the arrangement of flowers in a vase, even the landscaping of a garden. While a Buddhist temple will lay its garden stepping stones in an orderly, orthodox (shin) pattern, the stepping stones of a Tea Ceremony garden will follow a more random (sou) style of layout. An understanding of this aesthetic concept, and its applications in Japanese culture, adds to the enjoyment of the tea ceremony.
“The Sense of Season”
The four seasons are of great importance in the practice of the tea ceremony. In Japan the four seasons are rich and distinctive in character, and the Japanese people have developed a fine appreciation of their many nuances. An awareness of the seasons imbues the Japanese spirit. Whether it be a Zen proverb or a painting hung in the alcove, the flower arrangement, the tea pot and brazier, or even the type of confections chosen for the occasion, one can see in each this awareness in the practitioner. With an understanding of seasonal characteristics, an even greater appreciation of the Tea Ceremony can be achieved.
The Uraku Style Tea Ceremony and the Samurai
Oda Urakusai
Oda Urakusai was the posthumous name given to Oda Nagamasu, who lived from the Azuchi Momoyama age into the Edo period, and was a younger brother of Oda Nobunaga. He received his tutelage from Sen no Rikyu, the student of Takeno Joo, and is counted as one of Rikyu’s ‘ten acolytes.’ He created his own style of tea ceremony. He also brought about the revival of the Seiden-in Temple at Kyoto’s Kennin-ji Temple, where he built the Joan Tea House. This tea house was later moved, and is now a national treasure at Inuyama Castle, in Aichi Prefecture.
The Tea Ceremony and Samurai of the Warring States
The importance of the Tea Ceremony during the time of the Warring States arose from the great value placed upon tea vessels by Oda Nobunaga. Rather than reward his samurai with land, he gave them tea vessels, with the result that these vessels came to be valued in terms of their worth in land. Later, under Sen Rikyu, emissaries of the Tea Ceremony such as Oribe Furuta, Oda Uraku Sai and Kobori Enshu, had a great impact upon the times. Beginning with Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, the samurai frequently used the tea ceremony as a vehicle of political negotiations, so that this time became known as that of the “Tea Ceremony Government.”
“The Seven Crests of the Oda Clan”
The Oda family used seven family crests.The Oda family is said to be descended from Emperor Kanmu and the Taira clan, and as evidence of this the sons of the family have always worn the swallowtail crest. However, the crest which most commonly represented the Oda clan was a flowering quince, which resembled a slice of fruit with five segments, containing five petals. This was the symbol most often seen on the battle flags of the clan, but as there were different families within the clan, there were variations in the details of the quince crest. When performing the tea ceremony, the Uraku Style uses a different crest, that of the five and three-petaled paulownia. Other crests used by the clan include the two-bar (futahiki) and nine star (kuyousei) designs, and one of a square surrounding water. Though it is thought that each family has just one crest, in fact descendants of samurai, lords and shoguns, and even temples used different crests over local areas of control, and to convey various meanings of status and purpose.
