Holding the "Itsuo Autumn Tea Ceremony"

Ichizo Kobayashi (1873-1957), the founder of the current Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group, used the art name "Itsuo" in his private life. He enjoyed interacting with people through his hobbies of haiku and tea ceremony, and left behind numerous writings.

The Hankyu Foundation for the Arts, in remembrance of Itsuo, has been holding the "Itsuo Hakubai Tea Ceremony" on January 25th, his death anniversary, until 2020. From 2024, to allow participants to enjoy art appreciation at the museum during the refreshing autumn season, the event has been rescheduled to October 3rd, the anniversary of the opening of the Old and New Itsuo Museums of Art, and renamed the "Itsuo Autumn Tea Ceremony."

Itsuo wished to spread the way of tea to enrich people's lives. As Sen no Rikyu said, "For tea, all you need is one kettle and one tea bowl," Itsuo pursued the essence of tea ceremony without being bound by formality, even building a seated tea room called "Sokuan" in his residence. He invited his young friends into this world and enjoyed it together.

This year's "Itsuo Autumn Tea Ceremony" inherits Itsuo's spirit. To make it easy for beginners to participate and experience the tea ceremony, we have invited the tea ceremony clubs from Osaka University and Kwansei Gakuin University, who have deep connections with Itsuo and Hankyu, to hold an event where participants can enjoy tea prepared with heartfelt care by the students.

We hope you will spend an autumn day enjoying the unique themes of each tea ceremony, crafted with fresh sensibility and free ideas by the students using tea utensils they have brought from both universities. You can also admire the beauty of tea utensils at the Itsuo Museum of Art's current exhibition, "Nomu - Tea Ware, Sake Ware, and Smoking Implements," and experience Itsuo's thoughts anew at the Ichizo Kobayashi Memorial Museum, which introduces Itsuo's public and private achievements, and at the Ikeda Bunko, which houses valuable materials related to Itsuo's writings, Hankyu Railway, and theater.

For those new to the tea ceremony, why not take your first step on this occasion?

[Date] October 3, 2026 (Sat)

[Venue]

Ichizo Kobayashi Memorial Museum "Ningatei"

7-17 Kenjō-machi, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture

(13-minute walk from Hankyu Takarazuka Line Ikeda Station)

Ikeda Bunko "Hiroma"

12-1 Sakaemoto-machi, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture

(10-minute walk from Hankyu Takarazuka Line Ikeda Station)

[Capacity]

8 groups in total, 16 people per group

Participants will visit two tea rooms: a thin tea ceremony at the Ichizo Kobayashi Memorial Museum "Ningatei" hosted by the Kwansei Gakuin University Tea Ceremony Club, and a thin tea ceremony at the Ikeda Bunko "Hiroma" hosted by the Osaka University Tea Ceremony Club.

[Participation Fee]

2,200 yen per person (tax included)

Includes admission to the Ichizo Kobayashi Memorial Museum and the Itsuo Museum of Art (valid only on October 3rd)

[Application Method]

Details such as the start time for each group will be announced on the Hankyu Foundation for the Arts website's tea ceremony introduction page, scheduled to be released in early August. Please apply via the web form on the same page.

https://www.hankyu-bunka.or.jp/topics/2026/07/08/2026103/008419/index.html

About the Itsuo Museum of Art Exhibition "Nomu - Tea Ware, Sake Ware, and Smoking Implements" <Reference>

Water is an indispensable element for human life. Amidst the current global warming phenomenon, the importance of hydration is emphasized, and it is likely that no one goes through a day without "drinking" fluids like water and tea. Furthermore, alcoholic beverages, which have been produced as a pleasure for people since ancient times, continue to be loved to this day. The act of "drinking" alcohol, from moderate drinkers to enthusiasts, has been passed down as a daily pleasure. And tobacco, known as a recreational drug since ancient times, just like alcohol, has its tools for enjoyment referred to as smoking implements, and has been depicted in paintings and other artworks.

This exhibition features works focusing on three types of "nomu" (drinking/smoking): tea bowls and cups for "drinking" water, sake flasks and cups for "drinking" alcohol, and implements used for "smoking" tobacco, along with related vessels. We will exhibit works that focus on these three "nomu" (飲, 呑, 喫).

https://www.hankyu-bunka.or.jp/itsuo-museum/exhibition/20260919/

At the Itsuo Museum of Art, we offer tea service at "Sokushin-an" within the museum on Sundays during the exhibition period.

Please also take advantage of this.

https://www.hankyu-bunka.or.jp/itsuo-museum/guide/teicha/

Hankyu Foundation for the Arts https://www.hankyu-bunka.or.jp/

Release https://www.hankyu-hanshin.co.jp/release/2026/07/01684dbd03c50a50567e3d66d2e4e11568c784e3.pdf

Issued by: Hankyu Hanshin Holdings

1-16-1 Shibata, Kita-ku, Osaka City