Tai-an, Myōki-an Temple, Yamazaki, Kyoto, Japan (1582)

Artist/Designer: Sen no Rikyū

Project Location: Kyoto, Japan

Figure 1: Layout of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 2: Structure of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 3: Structure of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 4: Structure of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 5: Structure of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 6: Tea room ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 7: Windows ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 8: Windows ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 9: Door ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 10: Tsuginoma/Anteroom ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 11: Katte ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 12: Toko ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 13: Bamboo Grill ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 14: Entrance ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 15: Sketch of the tea house ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 16: Exterior of Myoki-an temple ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 17: Interior of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 18: Interior of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 15, 2024 )

Figure 19: Interior of Tai-an ( Source | Accessed : October 22, 2024 )

Style/Period(s):
Traditional

Primary Material(s):
Wood, Paper

Function(s):
Buddhist Temple

Related Website(s):

Official website of Tai-an, Myoki-an | Accessed : October 15, 2024

Official travel guide of Kyoto: Article about Tai-an, Myoki-an | Accessed : December 3, 2024

NHK: Video about Tai-an, Myoki-an | Accessed : December 3, 2024

Significant Date(s):
1582

Additional Information:
Description:
Tai-an (待庵) is a chashitsu (Japanese tea house) from the Momoyama period, located within Myōki-an temple in Yamazaki, Kyoto. Designed by the great tea master Sen no Rikyū in 1582, the tea house coincides with the year he was appointed as tea master to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s most powerful military leaders and unifiers, following the death of Oda Nobunaga, another key figure in Japan's unification efforts. Nobunaga was a daimyo who initiated the process of unifying Japan during the late 16th century, and Hideyoshi continued his legacy after Nobunaga’s death. During Hideyoshi's military campaigns in the area, Tai-an became a frequent setting for their tea ceremonies, and it is often said to have been built for this very purpose. Tai-an is the only tea house definitively attributed to Sen no Rikyū and is designated as a National Treasure of Japan.

Artist:
Sen no Rikyu (The great tea master)

Address:
56-56 Ryuuko, Oyamazaki, Oyamazaki Town, Otokuni District, Kyoto, Japan

Significant Dates:
Constructed in 1582, the Osaka Northern Earthquake caused cracks in the earthen walls in 2018

Books in Print / Resources:
・Handa, R. (2013). Sen no Rikyū and the Japanese Way of Tea: Ethics and Aesthetics of the Everyday. Interiors: Design, Architecture, Culture, 4(3), 229–247
・Wulan, S. (2021). The Philosophy of Wabi-Sabi on Chashitsu Tai-an Myokian Shrine: A John Fiske's Semiotic Analysis. Japanese Research on Linguistics, Literature, and Culture, 3(2), 157–165
・Sen XV, Soshitsu. (1997). The Japanese Way of Tea: From Its Origins in China to Sen Rikyu. University of Hawaii Press

Category:
Chashitsu (Tea room)

Associated projects:
Myōki-an (妙喜庵) is a Buddhist temple located in Yamazaki, Kyoto. Inside the temple is the tea house Tai-an.

Tags:
Japanese Interior, Japanese Architecture, Temple, Tea House, Wood, Tatami, Kyoto, Japan

Viewers should treat all images as copyrighted and refer to each image's links for copyright information.