Imai Sōkyū facts for kids

Imai Sōkyū (1520 – 31 August 1593) was a very important businessman in 16th-century Japan. He lived in the port city of Sakai. Imai Sōkyū was also a famous master of the Japanese tea ceremony, a special way of preparing and serving tea.

Who Was Imai Sōkyū?

Imai Sōkyū came from a family connected to the Amago clan and Sasaki clan, who were samurai warriors. He was born in a place called Yamato Province. Later, he moved to Sakai, a busy port city.

In Sakai, Sōkyū learned the art of the tea ceremony from a famous teacher named Takeno Jōō. Sōkyū even married Jōō's daughter! This helped him become a respected tea master, inheriting many valuable tea items.

Sōkyū's Business and Influence

Imai Sōkyū was a very successful merchant. He mainly traded in firearms and ammunition, which were important at that time. Around 1554, he made a large donation to a temple called Daitoku-ji. This helped him gain a lot of power among the merchants in Sakai. He soon became a leader in the city's council.

Meeting Oda Nobunaga

In 1568, Sōkyū traveled to the capital city. There, he met a powerful warlord named Oda Nobunaga. Sōkyū gave Nobunaga some special tea items that had belonged to famous tea masters before him. This made Nobunaga very happy, and Sōkyū earned his favor. Nobunaga even gave him a special noble title.

Soon after, Nobunaga wanted to take control of Sakai. Many leaders in Sakai wanted to fight back. But Sōkyū was one of the people who suggested that the city should peacefully agree to Nobunaga's rule. He helped arrange this peaceful agreement.

Rewards and New Roles

Because of his help, Nobunaga rewarded Sōkyū greatly. He was given a very profitable job: making firearms for Nobunaga's army, the Oda clan. Sōkyū also became a local judge, called a magistrate.

His new duties included collecting taxes in the areas outside Sakai. He also handled applications for travel documents. Sōkyū was even given some control over a silver mine nearby, called Tajima. He worked with blacksmiths and metalworkers in the area to get materials for making firearms and even fireworks!

Tea Master to Warlords

Afterward, Sōkyū taught Nobunaga about the tea ceremony. He also became a favorite of another powerful leader, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1587, Sōkyū was present at a very famous tea ceremony called the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony. He was one of Hideyoshi's three main tea masters, along with Sen no Rikyū and Tsuda Sōgyū. That same year, he helped prepare special lacquer for a huge wooden statue of the Gautama Buddha that Hideyoshi was building.

Sōkyū's Legacy

Imai Sōkyū passed on his business and his important official jobs to his son, Imai Sōkun. His son continued his father's work as a tea master and advisor to Hideyoshi, and later to another powerful leader, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Imai Sōkyū died in 1593 when he was 73 years old. He left behind many books of his memories and records.

Today, a teahouse connected to him, called the Ōbaian, can still be found in Sakai's Daisen Park. Sōkyū is buried at the Rinkō-ji temple in Sakai.