Sen-no-Rikyu

A member of the merchant class and tea master who was widely known from the Warring States period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Tanaka Yoshirou was his childhood name. Later, he took the Buddhist name "Sen-no-Soueki." His professional name was Housensai. The well-known "Rikyu" was his Buddhist lay name in later life. Known as the one who perfected the wabi-cha aesthetic of the Japanese tea ceremony, he rejected the established notion of valuing prestige for its own sake. His tea ceremony was a groundbreaking change, bringing a new set of values. As a retainer to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the ruler at the time, he also wielded influence over the feudal lords from the shadows.