Shogun Nobunaga and Hedeyoshi with tea

During the Sengoku era, Samurai were stationed in different part of Japan. They had kind of yearning for Chanoyu which was popularly performed by nobility and the high-level Buddhist priests in Kyoto and Sakai. However, their interest was not only the enjoyment Chanoyu had provided, but more of its high status and possession of valuable tea sets. Nobunaga Oda, who later became the shogun of Japan was expanding his territories. He made the leader of the region who has capitulated to him to give the treasured tea things. He was also known for forcing people to give their treasures. What kind of treasure one have represented the power one's have. Among all the treasures, valuable tea things were ranked highly. He often hosted the tea ceremony and show all the fascinating and luxurious tea things to impress the important attendants. He banned Samurai to have tea ceremony without his permission. When Samurai served with distinction, he present the one of his collective tea thing, and gave permission to have a tea ceremony. All those things he did raise the value of tea ceremony significantly. After the death of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi(1536-1598) became the Shogun of Japan and became a most powerful man in Japan. Hideyoshi also used Chanoyu for his political strategy but in different way from Nobunaga. He inherited the Nobunaga style of Chanoyu by giving an honor to Sen Rikyu to arrange and host the important tea ceremonies. Hideyoshi ordered to build the Golden tearoom to emphasis his interest of Chanoyu to everyone. Hideyoshi also contributed tea ceremony closed only for the nobility and upper-level societies opened to commonalty people by hosting the large tea ceremony called "Kitano Daichakai".

(Nobuyoshi Mochizuki)