Chinshin-ryu School (a school of tea ceremony) (鎮信流)
Chinshin-ryu school is a school of tea ceremony passed down by the Hirado clan in Hizen Province. The fourth lord of the domain, Shigenobu MATSURA (also known as Tensho), founded the school after he studied under Sadamasa KATAGIRI, and after also learning various schools. It is also called the Chinshin-ha group of the Sekishu-ryu school. Currently, the Soke (head of the school) is located in Fujisawa City.
History
Shigenobu MATSURA (Tensho) was the fourth lord of Hirado Domain. He enjoyed tea ceremony from a young age. He had his vassal receive instructions from Shigechika KANAMORI and studied the styles of the schools of Enshu-ryu, Sansai-ryu, Furuichi-ryu and Uraku-ryu. However, when he was older, he studied under Sadamasa KATAGIRI, and he was certified fully proficient by Sogen FUJIBAYASHI. He then established a school based on the Sekishu-ryu school, adding positive attributes from various schools. He brought in his junior disciple in Sekishu-ryu school, Iori MURAMATSU, as a sado (person in charge of tea ceremony). He gave him a family name of Toyoda and let the successive generations of these family give instructions.
As the tradition of the daimyo (feudal lord) families, the instructions in tea ceremony were passed down by the sado and not by the lord himself. However, the eighth lord of the domain, Sanenobu MATSURA, was so talented that his proficiency was certified at the age of 17. The Meiji restoration took place when Akira MATSURA was the 12th lord of the domain. He transferred the iemoto (head family of a school) from the Toyoda family and changed the name to the Chinshin-ryu school. He then began to give instructions in tea ceremony himself in Tokyo. In particular, he taught tea ceremony at Gakushuin Girl's Junior and Senior High School and Japan Women's University. In addition, he took turns hosting chakai (tea party) as a member of Wakeikai (also known as Juroku Rakan Circle [literally, a circle of 16 disciples]). He was counted as one of the people who contributed to reviving tea ceremony during the Meiji period.
The Chronological Order
Refer to the article of the Hirado Domain on each generation of the domain lord during the Edo period.
The Chronological Order of the Matsuura family
The Chronological Order of the Toyoda family as Sado