The tea master Lord Fumai – 不昧公

One of the most influential leaders of the Matsue domain was the seventh lord of the Matsudaira clan, Harusato, commonly known by his tea-master name, Fumai. During his reign (1751-1818), he shaped Matsue as we know it today by revolutionising the administrative system and improving industry and trade. He protected rice fields with further anti-flooding measures, and promoted the cultivation of high-commodity goods, such as medicinal grade Korean ginseng, cotton, hybrid mulberry trees used for making Japanese paper, wax trees, and much more. Fumai managed to bring the Matsue domain back from the brink of bankruptcy, and with the clan’s newly gained affluence, he went on to promote tea culture, making Matsue the one of the cities richest in tea culture in Japan today. The tea house he designed himself, Meimei-an, is a famous spot in Matsue. Read more information about the tea culture of Matsue in our Culture section.