Matsudaira Harusato facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matsudaira Harusato
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Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai)
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| 7th Lord of Matsue | |
| In office 1767–1806 |
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| Preceded by | Matsudaira Munenobu |
| Succeeded by | Matsudaira Naritsune |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 11, 1751 |
| Died | May 28, 1818 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Matsudaira Harusato (松平 治郷, 1751–1818) was a Japanese daimyō, or powerful lord, during the mid-Edo period. He ruled the Matsue Domain. Harusato was also very famous as a tea master, known by the name Matsudaira Fumai (松平 不昧).
Contents
Early Life of Matsudaira Harusato
Harusato was born in 1751 in Edo, which is now the city of Tokyo. He was the second son of Matsudaira Munenobu. At that time, his father was the lord who ruled the Matsue area.
Becoming a Leader: Matsue Domain
Harusato became the lord of the Izumo Matsue area after his father, Munenobu, retired in 1769. His father was the sixth lord of this land.
Facing Challenges in Matsue
When Harusato took over, the Matsue domain was very poor. This was mainly because the government, called the bakufu, had ordered them to pay for repairs to a big temple called Enryaku-ji.
Harusato's Solutions for the Domain
Harusato worked with his main helper, Asahi Tamba, to fix the money problems. They quickly started to make things better.
- They increased the production of the main goods made in the area.
- They improved the rice fields by controlling floods. This made the land safer for farming.
These efforts were very successful. The Izumo Matsue domain was one of the fastest to recover and become strong again.
Fumai as a Tea Master: Japanese Tea Ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, called chanoyu, changed over time. In the early Edo period, samurai warriors often practiced it. But later, it became less popular among them.
The Rise of New Tea Masters
By the mid-1700s, many older samurai who thought chanoyu was just a lazy hobby had passed away. A new generation of daimyōs started to lead the way in city culture. Matsudaira Harusato was one of the most important among them.
Harusato's View on Tea Ceremony
In 1770, Harusato wrote a paper called Mudagoto, which means "Useless words." He wrote it when he was trying to fix his domain's money problems. His helper, Asahi Tanba, thought Harusato was spending too much domain money on chanoyu.
In Mudagoto, Harusato explained his ideas: "Making chanoyu a luxury, making it too fancy, is a sad thing... instead, it can help govern the country well." This shows he believed the tea ceremony could be useful, not just a hobby.
Learning the Art of Tea
Harusato learned the tea ceremony from Isa Kōtaku. Isa Kōtaku was a student of a Zen monk named Ikei Sōetsu. Harusato also had a special copy of the Nanpōroku. This book contained the teachings of Sen no Rikyū, a very famous tea master. He got this book from Arai Itsushō, who followed the tea traditions of Hosokawa Tadaoki.
