Osaka castle was built by Hidayoshi Toyotomi who started life as a farmer but became very successful and ended-up dominating the whole country. The castle tower was burned down in the war of Osaka Natsu-no-jin (the summer campaign of Osaka). While its stone walls and castle tower were rebuilt by Tokugawa’s order, the keep was burned down by a strike of lightening. Many buildings were burned down during the unquiet days of the Meiji Restoration. Later, the castle tower was reconstructed in 1931 as a result of the enthusiasm of the citizens. It has now become a history museum.
An impregnable castle symbolizes wealth and power. A huge scale tea ceremony. A knocked-down golden tea house that represents the absolutely gorgeous era of Hideyoshi.
Rikyu Sen has a very prominent presence when we look back at the Culture of Osaka and tea ceremony. Rikyu had been highly valued by Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the powers that be, who wanted to use tea ceremony politically and show off their power and wealth. After the construction of the Osaka castle, Rikyu had his Osaka residence in the castle town and built a tea house of “Fuka- sanjo Daime (a three and three-quarters tatami mats)” which is known as the original point of Wabi-cha (tea ceremony emphasizes simplicity). “Being cool in summer and warm in winter…” Return to nature, a new front using dramatic effects, respects guests and entertains them with the atmosphere.
Western culture fused with oriental culture “The Westin Osaka”
The tea house “Seishun-an” in the hotel.
The Westin Osaka
1-1-20,Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka City
TEL:06-6440-1111
FAX:06-6440-1100
Japanese restaurant “Hanano”. Visitors can enjoy kaiseki in season meals.
HANANO
In The Westin Osaka
Tel：06-6440-1066
Experience tea ceremony in Osaka!
In Osaka, there are many places where you can experience the tea ceremony, from serious schools to casual occasions for tourists. A reservation is required.
Hoshoan is a teahouse located in the northeast of Nishinomaru Garden. It commands a great view of the castle tower; it is a wooden bungalow with a Hiwadabuki (Cypress bark) roof, built in the style of the tea ceremony house. It has Hiroma (a room over 4.5 tatami mats), Koma (a room under 4.5 tatami mats) and Ryurei-seki (room with seats), service is available to the public.
HOSHOAN (TEAHOUSE)
Open hours: 9:30 – 16:30 (9:30 – 16:30 during Nov. – Feb.)
Closed on Monday
Rent reservation: 06-6941-1717
“Choun-an” a restored tea house from Rikyu’s Osaka residence
The birth place of Rikyu Sen is Sakai, Osaka. The tea house was restored based on the floor plan which was drawn by a disciple of Rikyu and other information and materials such as minutes from the tea ceremonies of that time.
“Koukyu-an”, a sweet shop attached to the tea house offers a sweet, which is a reproduction of a phantasmal sponge cake that was said to have been used in Japan for the first time by Rikyu during tea ceremony.
CHOUN-AN
1-2-36, Kita-Mikunigaokacho, Sakai-ku, Sakai City
TEL:072-222-2411(Reception desk of the tea house)
Let hearts play and enjoy oneself
Sencha (medium grade tea) for cultured people “Issa-an”
From the olden times, Renka (linked verse), flower arrangement and tea ceremony have been handed down in the Tsukuda’s. The family have established a new school of “Bunjin taste” tea ceremony based on sencha.
Bunjin for cultured people, such as painters and scholars, who mainly consist of ordinary townspeople. “To make tea, and create one’s own taste, that is an art by itself,” said Ikki Tsukuda, the soke (the head of the school).
Originally, Bunjin sencha was for enjoying tea by oneself in his study. “The finest tea is a pleasure of one’s own. It is not for hospitality but a sprit to enjoy and please oneself.” Many scholars were gathered in Issa-an and the place became a salon for them. They created poems and pictures while enjoying sencha. As a result new art culture and works have been born again.
Issa-an
Tel：06-6941-8001
http://www.human-n.co.jp/issa-an/
