Shoan

2nd Generation Shoan Sojun (1546-1614) 少庵 宗淳

Shoan was Rikyu’s adopted son; his mother was Rikyu’s second wife, Soon, and his wife was Rikyu’s daughter, Okame. After Rikyu’s death by order of Hideyoshi, the Sen family was disbanded, and Shoan took refuge in Aizu-Wakamatsu with Gamo Ujisato, one of Rikyu’s disciples. Through Gamo’s intervention with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who later became the first Tokugawa shogun, the Sen family was reinstated. Shoan established the Kyoto branch of the family and moved Rikyu’s tea house, Fushin’an, to its present location on Ogawa street. His stepbrother Doan inherited all of Rikyu’s property in Sakai.

Shoan remained the head of the family for only a short period before passing the position to his son, Sotan, because he believed that Rikyu’s direct descendant should head the household. Although his era was short, Shoan helped to protect Rikyu’s Chanoyu ideals at a crucial period for the Sen family.

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