Sohen-ryu was founded by Yamada Sohen, one of Sen Sotan's senior students, who carried the Sen style to Edo and developed it there. It was studied across social classes and has maintained a teaching culture centred on Edo and later Tokyo. Its style keeps Sen-lineage wabi as a base while carrying some of the lightness of Kanto urban culture.
Lineage
Sohen trained under Sen Sotan and later served Ogasawara Naganori, lord of Mikawa Yoshida, spreading tea in Edo. He is also remembered in a well-known story from the Ako incident: he is said to have told Oishi Kuranosuke the date of a tea gathering at the Kira residence, information that bore on the timing of the raid. Successive heads take the name Sohen.
Where it is taught
Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto region.
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
Term info
- Category
- School