Senke Jusshoku, ten craft families

For generations, the Urasenke, Omotesenke and Mushakojisenke schools have been supported by ten craft families who have supplied them with tea utensils.  Each family has its own specialties that are passed down to the next generation just as the grand tea mastership is passed down in the Senke families.

The ten craft families number of generations serving and their specialties are:

1. Raku Kichizaemon 15th generation -  chawan shi, teabowls, mizusashi, flower vases, incense containers
   
2. Eiraku Zengoro 16th generation  - doburo yakimono shi, ceramics, including mizusashi, futaoki, ceramic furo, flower containers, tea bowls, incense containers, and futaoki
   
3. Onishi Seimon 16th generation- kamashi, kettles, gotoku (iron trivet), kensui, and other cast iron works
4. Nakagawa Joeki 11th generation - kanmono shi, bronze vases, kettles, ash spoons, trays, kensui, kan and hibashi
   
5. Nakamura Sotetsu 12th generation- nu shi, lacquer, especially gold painted design, natsume, trays, incense containers, bowls and sake cups
   
6. Hiki Ikkan 15th generation - ikkanbarisaiku shi, paper mache and lacquer over paper, for example inside of charcoal baskets, sweets trays, also feather work for haboki
7.  Kuroda Shogen 13th generation - takezaiku hishaku shi, bamboo anything, including hishaku, chashaku blanks, tana made of bamboo
8. Tsuchida Yuko 12th generation - fukuro shi, fabric for fukusa, kobukusa, and shifuku pouches
9. Komazawa Risai 15th generation -sashimono shi, wood worker for tana (display shelves), bentwood containers, hearth frames, screens, tabakobon
10. Okumura Kichibei 12th generation - hyogu shi, scroll mounting, fusuma (paper doors), furosaki byobu (screens), paper goods such as kettle hotpads, paper tobacco pouches

As we get further along in haiken, it is good to know these families and their specialties, in case your teacher in class or shokyaku should ask "who made it?"