Lord of the Kokura domain in Buzen Province (Fukuoka Prefecture). As a tea master, he was one of the seven philosophers of Rikyu, and the founder of the Sansai school. His first name was Tadaoki, and he was also known as Yoichiro.
Born in 1563 (Eiroku 6), son of Yusai. Son of Yusai. The third daughter of his wife Mitsuhide Akechi, whose Christian name was Galasha. He served Nobunaga and Hideyoshi and became lord of Miyazu Castle in Tango Province (Kyoto Prefecture), and after the Battle of Sekigahara, he was transferred to Kokura in Buzen.
He died on December 2, 1645 at the age of 83. He was well versed in various arts, studied tea ceremony under Rikyu, and was famous from his early days as the owner of Shoukouan at the Kitano Grand Tea Ceremony. He is famous for the anecdote that he and Furuta Oribe saw Rikyu off to the ferry in Yodo when Rikyu was in trouble. He was deeply trusted by Rikyu, especially for the tea ceremony using incense burners, and received his relics such as Amida-do kettle, Hachi-kairaku tea bowl, Kountsuru tea bowl, and stone lanterns. Sanzai’s grave marker at Daitokuji Temple’s Kogiriin Temple is his beloved lantern. The tea ceremony of Sanzai was promoted by his great younger brother Iori Ichio. According to the back matter of “Hosokawa Chayu no Sho” (Hosokawa Tea Ceremony Book) in 1641, it is said that it is a record of Sanzai’s tea ceremonies and discussions. It is included in the 11th volume of the “Complete Collection of Tea Ceremony Classics.
