《86》The Dawn of Early Modern Hakata and Hakata Merchants (Part 10).... Shimai Soshitsu and Oda nobunaga
- There was a mysterious connection between the wealthy Hakata merchant Shimai Soshitsu and Oda Nobunaga, the ruler of the time. In the Shimai family archives, there is an old document that states that Soshitsu went to Kyoto on New Year's Day in 1582 and had an audience with Nobunaga. It is a letter of invitation from Nobunaga inviting Shimai Soshitsu to Kyoto on the 28th day of the first month of the same year, and requesting him to hurry to Kyoto to let him see the tea ceremony utensils in his possession.
- However, according to Professor Tanaka Takeo of the University of Tokyo, who wrote the book "Shimai Soshitsu", the results of his research indicate that Soshitsu went to Kyoto for a tea ceremony on the 28th, but the schedule was changed and Soshitsu were not able to meet Nobunaga at last.
- But, Soshitsu again had an opportunity to have an audience with Nobunaga at a tea ceremony held the day before the Honnoji Incident on June 2 of the same year. He stayed at Honnoji and became involved in the historical event. It is assumed that Soshitsu probably had a long-cherished meeting with Nobunaga before his death. It is indeed a curious relationship between a wealthy merchant and a man of the nation. (From the Shimai family history book)
*The photo shows Honnouji Temple in Kyoto. /
近世博多の黎明期と博多商人(その10)…島井宗室と織田信長
- 博多の豪商島井宗室と当時の天下人織田信長には不思議な接点がありました。宗室は1582年正月に上洛し、信長に謁見したと思われる古文書が「島井家文書」に残されています。それは、同年の正月28日に信長が宗室を京都に招き、みずからが所持する茶湯道具を覧せるから急ぎ上洛するようにという通知文です。
- しかし、「島井宗室」を著した東京大学の田中建夫教授によれば、考証の結果、宗室は28日の茶会のために上洛したが、その予定は変更され、博多の茶人はついに信長と接することができなかったと述べています。
- ところが宗室は、同年6月2日に起きた「本能寺の変」の前日に開かれた茶会で再び信長と謁見する機会を得ます。そしてそのまま本能寺に宿泊して歴史的な事変に巻き込まれてしまったのです。おそらく宗室は信長の死去以前に、宿願の対面を遂げていたと推測されます。実に不思議な縁で結ばれた豪商と天下人との仲ですね。(島井家由緒書より)