Urakusai: Nobunaga's Brother and the Samurai Tea Master Who Created Jo-an

Urakusai (Oda Nagamasu), the younger brother of the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga, was not only a samurai who survived the turbulent Warring States period but also a refined tea master who left a lasting cultural legacy. His masterpiece, the Jo-an Tea Room (如庵), now designated as a National Treasure, is considered one of the finest surviving tea houses in Japan. Alongside Tai-an at Myokian in Kyoto, built by Sen no Rikyu, and Mittan at Daitokuji Temple by Kobori Enshu, it represents the pinnacle of tea room architecture.

In the 16th century, the tea ceremony was deeply intertwined with politics. Yet Urakusai pursued a different ideal — to entertain and connect with his guests. He once said, “The main principle of the tea ceremony is entertaining the guests.” How did a man born into one of Japan’s most powerful warrior families arrive at such a philosophy? This article explores the life, mindset, and cultural significance of Urakusai through the story of Jo-an.

For readers interested in a deeper understanding, a dedicated book on Urakusai by Akemi Wakayama, President of J-HiStories, is also available:
『有楽斎 ― 信長の実弟にして織田家嫡流、天下泰平を導いた真の立役者 ― 』 (Japanese edition)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　- An English edition is coming soon.

Not Spacious, but Not Cramped Either

The Jo-an consists of two Tatami mats for guests, nearly one Tatami mat for a tea master, and Tokonoma (alcove). Notable features include (1) a triangular floor that connects the master's door and the guest space, and (2) the wallboard next to the furo (furnace) is hollowed out and supported by the cedar pillar at the corner of the fireplace. These features create an aura of the Samurai's cool and light atmosphere. The tea ceremony that Oda Nagamasu (1548-1622, 織田長益), later known as Urakusai, aimed for is well expressed in three oral traditions handed down in the Oda school:

- Do not make guests feel uncomfortable

- Do not embarrass guests

- Give guests a sense of satisfaction

Let’s explore his life.

His Brother, Nobunaga, Died at the Honnoji Incident

In 1582, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598, 豊臣秀吉), the retainer of Nagamasu's elder brother, Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582, 織田信長), was attacking the Mori clan's Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle in Okayama prefecture in the run-up to the unification of the nation. Nagamasu and Nobutada, Nobunaga's eldest son, were about to leave Kyoto to reinforce Hideyoshi. There, startling news arrived:
“Mitsuhide had rebelled (killed his lord, Nobunaga)”.

They rushed to Honnoji Temple to rescue Nobunaga, but turned back and holed up in the new Nijo Palace once they heard about Nobunaga's suicide. Unable to do anything about it, Nobutada committed suicide. On the other hand, Nagamasu escaped to Gifu Castle. Nagamasu was probably left the future of the Oda family by Nobutada.

Nagamasu Served Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu

After Nobunaga’s death, Nagamasu served Nobukatsu (Nobunaga’s second son). In the meantime, the struggle for supremacy over Nobunaga began. The Battle of Komaki and Nagakute broke out between Hideyoshi and Nobunaga’s allied partner, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616, 徳川家康), on whom Nobukatsu relied. Nagamasu demonstrated his negotiating skills and concluded a peace agreement between them. Later, after Hideyoshi's death, he served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Raised by his charismatic brother, Nobunaga, Nagamasu served Hideyoshi and Ieyasu without flattery. This is his greatness. As the younger brother of Nobunaga, who sought to unify the nation, and as the legitimate son of Nobuhide, the father who reunited the divided Oda family, he may have had a mindset that surpassed that of many samurai.

Nagamasu Worked for Peace between Toyotomi and Tokugawa

As the years passed, Hideyoshi passed away in 1598, and Ieyasu emerged victorious in the Battle of Sekigahara against Hideyoshi's loyal retainer, Ishida Mitsunari (1560-1600, 石田三成), in 1600. Nagamasu sided with Ieyasu. After that, Nagamasu diligently served at Osaka Castle, where Hideyoshi's heir, Hideyori (1593-1615, 豊臣秀頼), and his mother, Yodo-dono, resided, aiming to establish a peaceful agreement between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa factions. Despite his efforts, resistance groups persisted within Osaka Castle, leading Nagamasu to abandon his attempts at persuasion and depart from the castle in 1615. In short, Nagamasu's attempt to reconcile Tokugawa and Toyotomi was thwarted. During this time, Nagamasu constructed the Jo-an in a sub-temple of Kenninji Temple, seeking solace and fulfillment in the world of tea for the rest of his life.

For a deeper exploration of his life and mindset, see the book below:
『有楽斎 ― 信長の実弟にして織田家嫡流、天下泰平を導いた真の立役者 ― 』 (Japanese edition)
→ View on Amazon（Amazonで見る）

Birth of the Tea Master Urakusai

During Nagamasu's service to Hideyoshi, another tea master, Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591, 千利休), Hideyoshi's tea master and his right-hand man, provided political advice. Rikyu built the Tai-an tea room with only 2 tatami mats by trimming all excesses and leading the tea ceremony into a philosophical world. Sitting in this small room, the guests might have felt a kind of tension, although Rikyu carefully designed the room to create a sense of spaciousness. On the other hand, Urakusai, a tea master who surpassed Rikyu's seven adepts, believed in the principle of entertaining guests at the tea ceremony. This may have been the ground Urakusai reached after living through the late Warring States period, when battles were fought across the country, mobilizing military, intelligence, and economic forces.

Urakusai-style Tea, the Pioneer of the Samurai Tea Ceremony

With the beginning of the peaceful Edo period (1603-1868), the samurai tea ceremony became popular, emphasizing a samurai-like approach. Urakusai tea may have been a forerunner of this style. The distinctive feature of this type of tea ceremony is the constant demand for training in both mindset and technique. The fukusa (napkin) is usually worn on the left side of the body, but it is also worn on the right side (as the left side is reserved for holding a dagger). The proper form of bowing in samurai etiquette is to place a fan in front of the knees and bow with both hands clasped at the sides of the knees. Unlike the Iemoto system of the Senke family school, which is inherited through the family lineage, Samurai Tea was promoted by the samurai themselves, who used tea as a means of training and refining their samurai qualities. The spirit of samurai is play and fun. The spirit of the samurai, who could die at any time, seems to exist in the unconventional and spontaneous tea ceremony. By rejecting the rules and formalities of life, Urakusai expressed the essential freedom of human nature through tea.

Experience the Philosophy of Urakusai

To experience the world of Urakusai, a visit to the Jo-an Tea Room offers a rare opportunity. Sitting quietly with a bowl of tea and traditional Japanese sweets, one may begin to sense his philosophy — that tea is, above all, an act of hospitality. This belief was not formed in peace, but through a life spent navigating the upheaval of the Warring States period, serving the three most powerful warlords of his time.

Urakusai, born as the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, lived through one of the most transformative eras in Japanese history — from chaos to lasting peace. Standing between rival powers as a member of the Oda family’s main line, he pursued a path of harmony and helped shape the course of his time.

His words carried the power to open hearts, and his tea gatherings brought together people across social boundaries, fostering trust and connection. For Urakusai, tea was not merely an art, but a space where relationships — and at times, history itself — were shaped. In an age defined by conflict, he remained devoted to harmony, quietly contributing to the foundation of a peaceful world.

For readers interested in exploring his life and philosophy in greater depth:

『有楽斎 ― 信長の実弟にして織田家嫡流、天下泰平を導いた真の立役者 ― 』 (Japanese edition)
→ View on Amazon（Amazonで見る）

Oda Urakusaisai Timeline

		Nagamasu (Urakusai)	Nobunaga	Hideyoshi	Ieyasu	Period
1534	Nobunaga was born in Owari Province	-	1		-	Muromachi
1537	Hideyoshi was born in Nagoya	-		1	-
1542	Ieyasu was born in Okazaki Province	-			1
1547	Oda Nagamasu was born	Age =1
1554	Hideyoshi started to work under Nobunaga	-		Age=17
1560	Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto at the battle of Okehazama	-	27	23	19
1561	Ieyasu made an alliance with Nobunaga	-			20
1568	Nobunaga went up Kyoto bringing Ashikaga Yoshiaki	-	35
1570	Ishiyama Hongwanji raised the army against Nobunaga	-	37	33
1570	Nobunaga defeated the Asai and Asakura clans	-	40	36	29
1571	Nobunaga defeated Enryakuji Temple's monk solduers	-	38
1573	Muromachi shogunate ended by the 15th shogun, Yoshiaki was ousted by Nobunaga	-			31	Azuchi Momoyama
1575	Oda-Tokugawa allied completely defeated the Takeda clan at the battle of Nagashino	-	42	38	34
1577	Hideyoshi started to conquer the Estern Japan by Nobunaga's order	-		45
1580	Nobunaga made peace with Ishiyama Hongwanji Temple	-	47
1582	Nobunaga was killed at Honnoji by Akechi Mitsuhide	36	49	45	41
1582	Hideyoshi defeated Akechi Mitsuhide	-	-	45
1582	Rikyu became a tea master of Hideyoshi	-		45
1584	Komaki-Nagakute battle between Hideyoshi and Ieyasu	38
1586	Hideyoshi built the huge Osaka castle	-		49
1590	Hideyoshi unified the nation	-	-	53
1590	Nagamasu started to use Urakusai name	44
1591	Rikyu Hara-Kiri	-		53
1598	Hideyoshi passed away	-	-	61	57
1600	Nagamasu joined the Tokugawa Army at the battle of Sekigahara and distinguished himself in the war.	54
1603	Ieyasu estabished Tokugawa shogunate at Edo	-	-		62	Edo
1612	Ieyasu built Nagoyajo Caslte	-
1614	The Winter Siege of Osaka	68			73
1615	Toyotomi's Osaka Castle burnt down to the ground at the Summer Siege of Osaka	69	-		74
1616	Ieyasu passed away at the age of 75	-			75
1618	Nagamasu built Jo-an	72
1621	Nagamasu passed away	75

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