RELIGIOUS FIGURE

Sen no Rikyū

1522 - 1591

Photo of Sen no Rikyū

Icon of person Sen no Rikyū

Sen no Rikyū (Japanese: 千 利休; 1522 – April 21, 1591), also known simply as Rikyū, was a Japanese tea master considered the most important influence on the chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of wabi-cha. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspects of the ceremony, including rustic simplicity, directness of approach and honesty of self. Originating from the Sengoku and Azuchi–Momoyama periods, these aspects of the tea ceremony persist. There are three iemoto (sōke), or 'head houses' of the Japanese Way of Tea, that are directly descended from Rikyū: the Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakōjisenke, all three of which are dedicated to passing forward the teachings of their mutual family founder, Rikyū. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Sen no Rikyū is the 802nd most popular religious figure (up from 805th in 2019), the 155th most popular biography from Japan (up from 185th in 2019) and the 8th most popular Japanese Religious Figure.

Sen no Rikyu is most famous for his tea ceremony. He was the first person to create a new style of tea ceremony, which was called wabi-cha.

Memorability Metrics

Loading...

Page views of Sen no Rikyū by language

Loading...

Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES

Among religious figures, Sen no Rikyū ranks 802 out of 3,187. Before him are Emma Morano, Abe no Seimei, Radha, Hillel the Elder, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, and Isidore the Laborer. After him are Saint Malachy, Isaac in Islam, Euphemia, Zephaniah, Papias of Hierapolis, and Roger Etchegaray.

Most Popular Religious Figures in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1522, Sen no Rikyū ranks 7. Before him are Mihrimah Sultan, Şehzade Mehmed, Margaret of Parma, Ulisse Aldrovandi, Lodovico Ferrari, and Eleanor of Toledo. After him are Lamoral, Count of Egmont, Joachim du Bellay, Catherine of Ricci, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Shibata Katsuie, and Gelawdewos. Among people deceased in 1591, Sen no Rikyū ranks 6. Before him are Pope Gregory XIV, Pope Innocent IX, John of the Cross, Aloysius Gonzaga, and Vincenzo Galilei. After him are Dmitry of Uglich, Jacobus Gallus, Veronica Franco, Christian I, Elector of Saxony, Luis de León, and Jost Amman.

Others Born in 1522

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Others Deceased in 1591

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

In Japan

Among people born in Japan, Sen no Rikyū ranks 155 out of 6,245. Before him are Abe no Seimei (921), Junichiro Koizumi (1942), Kunishige Kamamoto (1944), Nobusuke Kishi (1896), Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835), and Yasuo Takamori (1934). After him are Shoichi Nishimura (1912), Ashikaga Takauji (1305), Masao Uchino (1934), Emperor Go-Sai (1638), Empress Genshō (680), and Kenichi Fukui (1918).

Others born in Japan

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES In Japan

Among religious figures born in Japan, Sen no Rikyū ranks 8. Before him are Paulo Miki (1564), Dōgen (1200), Nichiren (1222), Empress Meishō (1624), Benkei (1155), and Abe no Seimei (921). After him are Mikao Usui (1865), Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659), Ikkyū (1394), Eisai (1141), Saichō (767), and Shinran (1173).

Japanese born Religious Figures

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous