Koka-Isshin School (a school handed down within the Hanamoto family) (覚花一心流)
Koka-Isshin school is a school handed down within the Hanamoto family which was a merchant family in Bitchu. This school was founded by Munehiro TENSO. This has been opened to the public since 2005. The present-day Soke (the head family or house) is in Okayama City. They call themselves Jinenan.
History
The real name of Munehiro TENSO who was considered to be a founder is unknown. It seems to be sure that he firstly took a lesson of Omotesenke school (the main branch of the Senke school of tea ceremony). Although he was born in the merchant family, he seemed to practice Zen meditation in many temples because he was primarily attracted to a priest. However, it is said that he started thinking about Zen, wabi (taste for the simple and quiet) and sabi (quiet simplicity) around this time. Eventually, he criticized that 'all of chake (a professional master of tea ceremony) forgot the true meaning,' and separated from the school. This school is the so-called unofficial school. Normally, he was supposed to be oppressed, but he earned the trust of many surroundings of low grade because he supported Terakoya (temple elementary school during the Edo period) based on his economic resources.
He neither let the style out of the family nor spread because he considered that the style was 'private.'
Characteristics
As compared with other schools, this school has two major differences. The two most distinctive features of the school are as follows; 1) this school is handed down within the merchant family, and 2) it is not sure that its substance belonged to which school.
The point that this school has been handed down within the merchant family (which means this was not controlled by a statesman, and was handed down within the family) shows that this school had no sponsors, and is not interfered in by a third party, and is a cause for keeping a unique and distinctive view of wabicha (view of tea taste for the simple and quiet). The original word is referred to the Sukiya style (style of tea-ceremony arbor), and its variety is a little departed from currently and generally called tea ceremony (which indicates representative school such as the Senke school). Munehiro TENSO, the first head of the school, had doubts about then matsurichaho (tea ceremony in the style of festival) losing the true meaning, and seemed to seek for 'real tea ceremony' mentioned by him, neither tea ceremony as a traditional culture nor tea ceremony as business. As a result, this school came to contain the substance which is not seen in other schools. For example, like the Oribe school, a style is divided into 'wabichaho' (tea ceremony in the style of wabi) and 'shikitenchaho' (method of tea ceremony for memorial ceremony).
The only difference is that only usucha (thin tea) is used in the 'wabichaho' and only koicha (thick tea) is used in the 'shikitenchaho.'
In addition, flowers are more important than hanging scrolls.
In this point, there seem to be an intention that 'furyu (elegant aestheticism) was to choose utensils in concert with beautiful flowers, not to arrange flowers in concert with a variety of tea party.'
A rest for the lid of a teakettle and ladle are held in a right hand when entering with holding kensui (waste-water container [for tea ceremony]). A tea ceremony with a number of attendants and kencha (tea offering to Gods in shrines) are not held. Mizuya-temae (tea ceremony procedures in washing places) is considered to be esoteric. As above, this school adopts an ancient and unique style as its substance, and is senseless as compared with other schools.
However, this school is interesting to compare with existing tea ceremony.