The Relationship Between Tea Bowls and the Construction of the Political Authority of Japan in the Azuchi–Momoyama Period
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The Relationship Between Tea Bowls and the Construction of the Political Authority of Japan in the Azuchi–Momoyama Period

Zhiqian Zhang 1*
1 University of Cambridge
*Corresponding author: ezhang1828@gmail.com
Published on 28 October 2025
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CHR Vol.93
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-483-0
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-484-7
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Abstract

This paper discusses the connection between tea bowls and political authority under the influence of the two most significant rulers during the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568-1603), Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It aims to comprehensively study what kinds of political messages were attached to tea bowls and how they were formed and associated, while understanding how they contributed to the construction of political authority. This paper argues that although the period as a whole saw the entanglement between tea bowls and political authority, this relationship was not singular but complicated and behaved differently under each ruler. On the one hand, Nobunaga built his expression of political authority to elites upon the possession, submission and gifting of traditionally recognised tea bowls. On the other hand, Hideyoshi presented his authority beyond the elites to commoners and the royals. This was achieved by spreading tea culture, using cheaper tea bowls to gain recognition as a cultural leader, while still exercising the relationship between the luxury tea bowls and power.

Keywords:

Tea bowls, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Political Authority

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Zhang,Z. (2025). The Relationship Between Tea Bowls and the Construction of the Political Authority of Japan in the Azuchi–Momoyama Period. Communications in Humanities Research,93,30-35.

References

[1]. Corbett, R. (2014) Crafting Identity as a Tea Practitioner in Early Modern Japan: Ōtagaki Rengetsu and Tagami Kikusha. U.S.-Japan Women's Journal, 3-27.

[2]. Ota, G. (1881) The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga. Edited by Kageo Hokiyama. Tokyo: Hokiyama Kageo, National Diet Library Digital Collections, call no. 128-97.

[3]. Zhang, Q. (2013) Chanoyu through its Utensils: Focusing on the Period before Early Modern Japan. Master’s thesis, Shandong University.

[4]. Watanabe, T. (2007) From Korea to Japan and Back Again: One Hundred Years of Japanese Tea Culture through Five Bowls, 1550–1650. Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin, 82-99.

[5]. Huang, X.L.(2012) On the Politics of Japanese Tea Ceremony in the Late Sengoku Period. Journal of Yulin Normal University, 33: 106-110.

[6]. Surak, K. (2011) From Selling Tea to Selling Japaneseness: Symbolic Power and the Nationalisation of Cultural Practice. European Journal of Sociology, 52: 175-208.

[7]. Pitelka, M. (2014) Warriors, Tea, and Art in Premodern Japan, Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts, 88: 20-34.

[8]. Su, X.D. (2012) The Study on the culture of Tea Ceremony in the Azuchi-Momoyama period from Sen no Rikyu. Master’s thesis, Zhengzhou University.

[9]. Meng, L. (2018) Several studies of Kitano Tea Party. Master’s thesis, Northeast Normal University.

[10]. Bodart, B.M. (1977) Tea and Counsel. The Political Role of Sen Rikyū, Monumenta Nipponica, 32: 49-74.

[11]. Hur, N. (2015) Korean Tea Bowls (Kōrai chawan) and Japanese Wabicha: A Story of Acculturation in Premodern Northeast Asia, Korean Studies, 39: 1-22.

[12]. Turuta, J. (n.d.). Forty Koku. Retrieved August 27, 2025, from https: //turuta.jp/story/archives/8793.

[13]. Imai, S. (n.d.). Tennojiya Kaiki. Retrieved 27 August 27, 2025, https: //meitou.info/index.php.

References

[1]. Corbett, R. (2014) Crafting Identity as a Tea Practitioner in Early Modern Japan: Ōtagaki Rengetsu and Tagami Kikusha. U.S.-Japan Women's Journal, 3-27.

[2]. Ota, G. (1881) The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga. Edited by Kageo Hokiyama. Tokyo: Hokiyama Kageo, National Diet Library Digital Collections, call no. 128-97.

[3]. Zhang, Q. (2013) Chanoyu through its Utensils: Focusing on the Period before Early Modern Japan. Master’s thesis, Shandong University.

[4]. Watanabe, T. (2007) From Korea to Japan and Back Again: One Hundred Years of Japanese Tea Culture through Five Bowls, 1550–1650. Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin, 82-99.

[5]. Huang, X.L.(2012) On the Politics of Japanese Tea Ceremony in the Late Sengoku Period. Journal of Yulin Normal University, 33: 106-110.

[6]. Surak, K. (2011) From Selling Tea to Selling Japaneseness: Symbolic Power and the Nationalisation of Cultural Practice. European Journal of Sociology, 52: 175-208.

[7]. Pitelka, M. (2014) Warriors, Tea, and Art in Premodern Japan, Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts, 88: 20-34.

[8]. Su, X.D. (2012) The Study on the culture of Tea Ceremony in the Azuchi-Momoyama period from Sen no Rikyu. Master’s thesis, Zhengzhou University.

[9]. Meng, L. (2018) Several studies of Kitano Tea Party. Master’s thesis, Northeast Normal University.

[10]. Bodart, B.M. (1977) Tea and Counsel. The Political Role of Sen Rikyū, Monumenta Nipponica, 32: 49-74.

[11]. Hur, N. (2015) Korean Tea Bowls (Kōrai chawan) and Japanese Wabicha: A Story of Acculturation in Premodern Northeast Asia, Korean Studies, 39: 1-22.

[12]. Turuta, J. (n.d.). Forty Koku. Retrieved August 27, 2025, from https: //turuta.jp/story/archives/8793.

[13]. Imai, S. (n.d.). Tennojiya Kaiki. Retrieved 27 August 27, 2025, https: //meitou.info/index.php.

Cite this article

Zhang,Z. (2025). The Relationship Between Tea Bowls and the Construction of the Political Authority of Japan in the Azuchi–Momoyama Period. Communications in Humanities Research,93,30-35.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: The Dialogue Between Tradition and Innovation in Language Learning

ISBN: 978-1-80590-483-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-484-7(Online)
Editor: Enrique Mallen, Heidi Gregory-Mina
Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/
Conference date: 17 November 2025
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.93
ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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