近代における日本茶道批判 : 小林一三と柳宗悦を中心に

Abstract

The tea culture of Japan is being internationally recognized as the representative of Japan’s continued traditions. That is because the premodern tea culture was reformed based on the criticisms it received during the modernization period. The purpose of this paper lies in examining the criticisms of Japanese tea culture during the modernization process.BR First, focusing on the two characters Ichizo Kobayashi(1873-1957) Soetsu Yanagi (1889-1961) and the context of their tea ceremony, this paper analyzes their criticism about the tea ceremony. As it is well known, Ichizo Kobayashi is a lauded businessman who successfully executed the Hankyu Road urban renewal and founded the Takarazuka Revue Company, and a person who enjoyed tea culture as a hobby. After stepping down from public service on 1945, he wrote 『New Tea Ceremony』 (1952) for 6 years until 1951(72∼78 years old). BR On the other hand, Soetsu Yanagi was religion philosopher and acted as a leader for the Mingei Movement. It was when he became 60 year old that he first became interest in the tea ceremony and sponsored tea ceremony party, and published 「『Tea』its illness」(1950), a series of books criticizing the tea during 1945∼1950.BR As a result of the revision, they showed multiple common grounds in their critics. First, they were similar in that they implemented a unique tea ceremony that was free from the exisiting standard of teaism, and have suggested a self orientented model of tea ceremony. Next is on the criticism on Yiemotojedo. Although Yiemotojedo is a system of succeeding to the family business, under Yiemoto being the head of the school in teaism, both commonly contended that this should not be succeeded as a remains of feudalism. Also, they negatively commented on Hakogaki. Hakogaki is a method of writing, generally description written on a box’s surface-either front of back- about a concealed object’s owner, origin or name. BR However during then, the price of tea cups which were signed by Yiemoto or those who were recognized by Yiemoto, became the economic interrelation between Yiemoto and the Tool makers, and raised the prices, which led to the tea ceremony becoming strictly for the higher class. Ichizo Kobayashi criticized focusing upon the economic side from a rational perspective and Soetsu Yanagi emphasized how tea ceremony should be valued without the interruptions or diversions to other values. While criticisms made by Yiemotojedo were easily dismissed, the opinions of the influential Ichizo Kobayashi and Soetsu Yanagi stirred upon much argument.BR Ichizo Kobayashi pursused to use the tea ceremony as a positive way to enhance the well-being of the public, and Soetsu Yanagi aimed to supply the tea ceremony to the public by freely enjoying the tea ceremony without being restricted to established values. Also, their criticisms rooted from their interest towards Japanese culture, as they wanted the tea ceremony to conform to values of the international society. How their opinions were applied is a quest that should be solved through more research.