Sen no Rikyu, known as the "tea saint," was born into a merchant family in Sakai in 1522. He inherited "wabicha" (tea ceremony) from Takeno Shaowo, and developed the unique Japanese tea ceremony to a great extent during the Momoyama period. Rikyu was active in politics as a tea master (a profession specializing in serving tea) for Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who used the tea ceremony at that time. His descendants continue as the Sanzenke, a family of tea masters, and have had a significant influence on the modern tea ceremony.

戦国時代から安土桃山時代にかけて、乱世を生きる人々が心の拠りどころとした茶室。禅的な無我の境地と抹茶の作法を結びつけ、新たな美の世界を創造したのが千利休。必要以上のものを排除し、侘び茶を大成させた利休を象徴する場所が［妙喜庵］。 千利休が携わった日本で唯一現存するという茶室「待庵」をひと目見ようと、建築、デザイン、茶道などさまざまな分野の人たちが全国から訪れるそうです。

The first time this tea house was built was during the Warring States period, when the Battle of Tennozan took place. Toyotomi Hideyoshi lived in his Yamazaki residence for a while after the battle, and invited Rikyu to perform tea ceremony. The third generation monk of Myokian, Konshu, who was a disciple of Rikyu, assisted him during tea ceremonies. Standing in front of the Waitan, which was moved to this location in the Edo period (1603-1867), the first thing that strikes you is the space created to give you a sense of knowledge. Since Rikyu's master, Takeno Shaowo, the standard size of a tea room was four and a half tatami mats, but this room is only two tatami mats. The chief abbot, Mr. Shikou Takeda, says, "I make tea with all my heart and soul for the person in front of me. Perhaps they wanted to create such a space where guests living in a war-torn world could talk freely without worrying about their surroundings.

Every corner of the two-tatami-mat tea room is filled with Rikyu's aesthetic sense and profound wisdom, including the oldest part of the room, which is said to be slightly larger than today's, the hanging ceiling that makes the narrow space look larger, the lattice windows made of local bamboo, and the murodoko, which was designed to eliminate the boundaries between the alcove and the walls. I also sympathized with Rikyu's words, "Bamboo from Oyamazaki, reeds from the Yodo River, and cedar, which are available in this area and suited to the local climate, are used in the tea ceremony house. When you find it hard to see the small happiness around you, visit this place.