Kanamori Sowa

A tea master from the early Edo period. Founder of the Sowa school. The eldest son of Kanamori Izumo no Kami Arishige, lord of Takayama Castle in Hida. His name was Shigechika. In 1614 (Keicho 19), during the Winter Siege of Osaka, he incurred his father's wrath and was disowned, and retired to Kyoto with his mother. In the same year, he studied Zen under the monk Shoin of Daitokuji Temple, shaved his head, and took the name Sowa. From 1618 (Genna 4), he lived in Gosho Hachiman Kamihanmachi, above Karasuma Imadegawa, where he had a two-story room. Around 1547 (the 4th year of the Shoho era), when the potter Nonomura Seiemon, also known as Ninsei, opened a kiln in front of the gates of Omuro Ninnaji Temple, Ninsei not only guided him in firing tea ware, but also actively participated in taking orders and selling his works, playing a major role in the management of the Omuro kiln. Ninsei's overglaze pottery, which is said to be the favorite of Sowa, was actually rare during his lifetime, and most were made after his death, but his rich sense of design was popular among the nobles and samurai. This, combined with his style of tea, led to his reputation as "Beggar Sotan and Princess Sowa," in contrast to the contemporary tea master Sen Sotan, who emphasized Zen Buddhism in tea. Ninsei's tea ware shows his connection with the samurai class, but he also had connections with such court nobles as Joshuinnomiya (Kajiinomiya Jitane Cloistered Prince), Konoe Nobuhiro (Ozan), Ichijo Akiyoshi (Ekan), and Horin Shosho of Kinkakuji Temple, and the tea ceremony spread throughout Japan. He is said to have preferred tea rooms such as Gyokuken Garden at Daitokuji Temple's Shinjuan and Sekkatei at Rokuonji Temple, and many of his belongings are preserved at his grave in Tenneiji Temple in Kyoto.

[Murai Yasuhiko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸前期の茶匠。宗和流の開祖。飛騨(ひだ)高山城主金森出雲守(いずものかみ)可重(ありしげ)の長男。名は重近。1614年（慶長19）大坂冬の陣の際、父の怒りに触れることがあって勘当され、母とともに京都に隠棲(いんせい)した。この年、大徳寺の紹印和尚(おしょう)に参禅、剃髪(ていはつ)し、宗和と号す。18年（元和4）以後、烏丸(からすま)今出川上ル御所八幡上半町に居所を構えているが、ここには二階座敷があった。47年（正保4）ごろ、陶工野々村清右衛門こと仁清(にんせい)が御室仁和寺(おむろにんなじ)門前に開窯するに及び、これを指導して茶陶を焼かせたばかりでなく、作品の注文取りや売却にも積極的に関与し、御室窯の経営に大きな役割を果たした。もっとも宗和好みとされる仁清の色絵陶は、宗和生存中はむしろ少なく、没後の作製になるものが多いが、豊潤(ほうじゅん)な意匠感覚が公家(くげ)武家の間に好まれた。これが茶風と相まって、茶に禅法を強調した同時代の茶人千宗旦(せんのそうたん)との対比で、「乞食宗旦・姫宗和」との評を生んだ。仁清茶陶を通して武家との関係が認められるが、常修院宮（梶井宮(かじいのみや)慈胤法親王）をはじめ、近衛信尋(このえのぶひろ)（応山）、一条昭良（恵観）、金閣寺の鳳林承章(ほうりんしょうしょう)ら宮廷貴紳との交わりがあり、茶も広がっている。大徳寺真珠庵(あん)庭玉軒、鹿苑(ろくおん)寺の夕佳亭が好みの茶室と伝え、墓所である京都天寧寺には遺品の数々を伝えている。

［村井康彦］

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