Ii Naosuke was a lord of the Hikone domain in Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture), a great elder of the shogunate, and a tea master. Born in 1815 (Bunka 12), he was also called Sokan, and also called Rokken, Uzumikisha, and Yanagiosha. He was the fourteenth son of Naonaka and lived in a 300-bale room for many years, during which time he devoted himself to study and Zen practice. He welcomed Keifuku from Kishu and made him shogun (Iemochi XIV), and also dealt with difficult diplomatic issues, but his harsh policies, including the Great Prison of Ansei, were resented by his fellow samurai, and on March 3, 1860, he was attacked and killed by Mito clan members of the barbarian party outside Sakuradamon. He was 46 years old.
He was a great admirer of the tea ceremony from early on and mastered its secrets under Sosaru Katagiri of the Ishu school. His famous phrases, “Once-in-a-lifetime encounter” and “Dokuseki-kan” are Naosuke’s tea philosophy born from his deep practice of the tea ceremony. His book “Chayu Ikkai-shu” was completed after more than ten years of study since he was 31 years old, and he left behind nearly ten other writings on tea. He was also fond of Raku ware, and many of his works include tea bowls, tea containers, and incense containers. In 1855, he invited Ichishiro and Denshichi from Owari (Aichi Prefecture), and also received instructions from Miura Kenya, a potter in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Despite various financial difficulties, he produced excellent wares in both underglaze and akae styles. His favorite tea utensil is known as the 12-month jujube made by Sotetsu VIII.
