Zenchakutsu -Myōkian and the Art of Tea
10th October - 24th November, 2025
Open: 10:00 - 17:00 Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon
*10-20 Oct and 7-17 Nov open every day
Sen no Rikyū, revered as the “Tea Sage,” was the consummator of wabi-cha, the tea ceremony style centered on simplicity and rustic refinement.
At Myōkian Temple stands Tai-an, Japan’s oldest surviving tea room, believed to have been built by Rikyū himself. This tiny space, designated as a National Treasure, embodies the spiritual essence of wabi-sabi—a microcosm of his aesthetic philosophy.
Takano Chikko’s founder, Tadao Takano, was deeply inspired by Rikyū’s ideals. Through a fortunate connection with the head monks Shien and Shikō of Myōkian, Takano Chikko was entrusted with old wood from the restoration of Tai-an, using it to craft tea utensils imbued with new life.
This exhibition at Gallery Chikuen presents a selection of these tea utensils made from the old materials from historic Tai-an, created over years of collaboration with Myōkian.
It offers an opportunity to reflect on the significance of finding new value in materials that once fulfilled their purpose in places associated with Sen no Rikyū, and to share the devotion of the artisans who breathe life into them once again.
Takano Chikko and the Spirit of Reclaimed Wood
For many years, Takano Chikko has been devoted to the creation of tea utensils, cherishing deep relationships with temples and tea masters since the time of its founder, Tadao Takano. Through these longstanding ties, the company has been honored with the opportunity to work with reclaimed timbers and other materials from National Treasures and other historically significant buildings.
Although Tadao Takano was a bamboo craftsman to the core, he was profoundly moved by the presence of aged timbers transformed by the passage of time, finding in them a new source of creative inspiration.
When these materials—having fulfilled their great roles as parts of historic structures—are reborn as tools for everyday life, they carry with them a quiet continuity: from one craftsman to the next, and from the maker’s hands to those who use them.
Through these pieces, we hope to convey the beauty born from the eternal flow of time and the mysterious vitality of nature that endures within the old wood.