The display in this hall includes arms, armour, paintings and objects used in the tea ceremony. From the 12th to the 19th centuries, real power in Japan was in the hands of the warrior class. The imperial house, although formally still at the head of the state, completely lost any control over the country. The term Japanese swords is customarily used for single-edged blades with a slight curve. The length of the sword and degree of curve could vary depending on the purpose of the weapon and also with the evolution of close-combat tactics. From the 8th to the 15th centuries, warriors used long tachi swords, intended mainly for fighting on horseback. They were worn with the edge downwards in scabbards attached to the belt with a cord. From the 15th century, the leading role in battle passed to the warrior on foot, who acquired in his arsenal the shorter and more functional katana sword. The scabbard for a katana attached behind the belt in such a way that the blade within had its edge upwards. The katana was paired with a small wakizashi sword that was used in a secondary role or when fighting indoors. A set of large and small swords (daisho) made up the main armament of a samurai.
The appearance of tea in Japan is connected with the spread of the teachings of the Zen school of Buddhism. The infusion was considered medicinal and was used in monasteries as an invigorating beverage during prolonged meditations. In the 13th to 15th centuries, Zen monasteries strove to imitate their Chinese counterparts in all things. That is why the utensils used for tea-drinking were either Chinese or else made in Japan based on Chinese examples. Gradually the consumption of tea extended into the warrior caste. Leading daimyos (feudal lords) began holding “tea gatherings”. Before the guests arrived, a painted or calligraphic scroll would be hung in the state room, where they also placed incense-burners and carved lacquer pieces. The use of Chinese objects became an obligatory part of the ritual.
In the second half of the 16th century, a different, more modest, type of tea ceremony arose that was given the name wabicha (“austere tea”). For wabicha people used objects produced in Korea or Japan that were markedly simple in design and retained the natural beauty of their material. These principles find striking expression in the hand-moulded bowls coated with black or red glaze that are known as raku ware.
The main purpose of the tea ceremony is to create an atmosphere of harmony, purity and calm that allows participants to engage in intense contemplation and to turn their backs on the bustle of the everyday world.
