There are three types of meimono, or tea utensils. Those from before Sen no Rikyu, especially from the Higashiyama period, are called meimono, those from the Rikyu period are simply called meimono, and those selected by Kobori Enshu are called chukko meimono. In the modern era, the term “Meibutsu” is used together with “Meibutsu” and “Chuko-Meibutsu,” and two types of Meibutsu are used: Daimyo-Meibutsu and Meibutsu. The great masterpieces were collected by Ashikaga Yoshimasa at his villa in Higashiyama (Higashiyama), including famous paintings, ink paintings, rare vessels, and treasured pots, and were selected by Noami, Aami, and Ikiyo, all of whom were expert collectors at the time. The masterpieces were selected by Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who had Tsuda Munenori, Sen no Rikyu, and others select them. Many of the most famous and famous items are Chinese. Chuko Meimono were selected by Enshu Kobori from those pieces that were not included in the Meimono list, such as Fujishiro and other Goigyokuni-yaki pieces. Reference books on the selection of meimono include “Kimidai Kanjo Choki,” “Chakki Meimono Shu,” “Tensho Meimono Choki,” “Higashiyama Gomotsu Nai Betsucho,” “Ganmono Meimono Choki,” “Wakan Meimono Chairi Secret Record,” “Enshu Gosensho Juhachihin,” “Enshu Meimonokki,” “Enso Jukugo,” “Kyokusu Meri-sho,” “Chakki Meri-kensho,” “Meimono Meri-kensho,” “Meimonoki,” “Kokin Meimono Ruiju,” “Seto Pottery Rabinokuchi, Senke Chukyo Meimono, Rimpo Kameryu, Kansho Zoki, Honcho Toki No No Gosei, Tsuchiya Kuracho, Enshu Kuracho, Chakki Meimono Zushu, Meimono Chawan Shu, Kushinroku, Raku ware Meimono Chawan Shu, and many others. The most detailed and earliest formalized work is the “Chawan Meibutsu Shu” (Collection of Masterpieces of Tea Utensils) from the Tensho period (1573-192), also called the “Yamakami Soji Ki” (Record of Yamakami Soji), compiled by Yamakami Soji.
The “Ganmono Meimono Ki” was published with a preface in 1660 (Manji 3), and all the items in this book are considered to be great masterpieces.
Matsudaira Fumai studied the tea bowls in depth, and his two books, “Kokin Meibutsu Ruiju” and “Seto Touki Rabinokuchi” are considered to be the source books of tea bowls. Although there is no detailed and complete book on tea bowls that should be used as a reference book, the “Collection of Famous Tea Bowls” and the other books mentioned above were used as reference books.
In the Taisho era (1912-1926), Takahashi Brooman published a major work entitled “Taisho Meiki-kan” (Taisho Meiki-kan). It is a large catalog of famous tea containers and tea bowls, and includes related records. This book is controversial because it includes both traditional masterpieces and those selected by the author, but it is an unprecedentedly large volume as a catalog of famous tea ceremony utensils.
Chukoh Meibutsu
Tea utensils selected by Enshu Kobori among the so-called “Meimono”.
Daimaibutsu (Great Meibutsu)
The correct reading is “Omeibutsu”. It refers to tea utensils of the Higashiyama period before Sen no Rikyu.
