[ No photos yet ]

Be the first to share one

Shimai Soshitsu Residence Site

福岡県

Residence site of Hakata merchant Shimai Soshitsu — survivor of the Honnoji Incident

Founded

1582

Type

Historic Site

Visited

Want to go

Access

3 min walk from Gofukumachi Subway Station

Tenyamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka

Open in Google Maps ↗

Info

Historic Site

Founded 1582

444 years

Overview

The residence site of Shimai Soshitsu (1539-1615), one of the "Three Great Hakata Merchants" alongside Kamiya Sotan and Oga Sokyu. A sake brewer, financier, and tea master who grew wealthy from Ming China and Joseon trade, Soshitsu survived the Honnoji Incident of June 2, 1582 by escaping—he had been a guest at Oda Nobunaga's tea gathering and was staying overnight at the temple. During his escape…

Read more

Origins

Residence site of merchant Shimai Soshitsu. Survived the 1582 Honnoji Incident, saving Kukai"s Thousand Character Classic manuscript. Helped Hideyoshi rebuild Hakata. The residence wall survives as the Hakata-bei.

人
Related Figures
— 3

Revolutionary of Tenka Fubu

Age 48 at founding

Shimai Soshitsu, a wealthy Hakata merchant and tea master, lived at this residence. On June 2, 1582, he was staying at Honno-ji Temple, having been invited to a tea gathering hosted by Oda Nobunaga. That very night, Akechi Mitsuhide's rebellion erupted—the Honno-ji Incident. Soshitsu escaped carrying a calligraphy scroll by Kukai, becoming a rare witness to Nobunaga's final night.

Akechi Mitsuhide

Perpetrator of the Honnoji Incident

Age 54 at founding

This is the mansion ruin of merchant Shimai Soshitsu, who was staying at Honno-ji Temple as Nobunaga's tea-ceremony guest on June 2, 1582 — the night Akechi Mitsuhide launched his surprise attack. Amid the chaos, Soshitsu escaped with a calligraphy scroll by the monk Kukai, becoming a rare survivor of the Honno-ji Incident.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Taiko, Ruler of All

Age 45 at founding

The owner of this residence site, Hakata merchant Shimai Soshitsu, was one of the "Three Great Merchants of Hakata." After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 1587 conquest of Kyushu, Soshitsu worked to rebuild the war-ravaged town of Hakata under the "Taikō Machiwari" urban reconstruction plan. This site marks where Hideyoshi's unification of Japan intersects with Hakata's historic revival.

Posts

0

＋

No posts yet

Also Worth Visiting

Hokoku Jinja (Hakata)

Shrine enshrining Hideyoshi, built on the site of merchant-tea master Kamiya Sotan's residence

Hakata's chief guardian shrine, home to the thousand-year Gion Yamakasa festival

Mangyoji Temple

A Jodo Shinshu temple that fought for Honganji, earned the Mori clan crest, and founded Hakata's first orphanage

The Zen temple said to have introduced udon, soba, and the Hakata Yamakasa to Japan

Torinji Temple Hakata

The Soto Zen temple founded by Tachibana Jitsuzan, who transmitted Rikyu's secret tea writings as the Nanporoku

Reizenji Temple

Founded in 1532, this Jodo-shu temple in historic Reizenmachi received samurai lords en route to Hideyoshi's Korean campaign

The magnificent Maizuru Castle built by Kuroda Nagamasa — Kyushu's grandest fortress

Kaigenji Temple

Famous for its legendary Enma statue and the twice-yearly 'Enma Festival' displaying hell-and-paradise paintings

記

Suggest an update

Suggest fixes to the location, history, visiting hours, access, facilities, notes and more

›

Report incorrect info ›

Get the app for a better experience

Auto stamp via GPS, offline access, and favorites tracking

View in app

＋

Explore pilgrimage with the app

View in app

✕