Rikyu

Rikyu

A synthesis between the art of refinement and the ritual for the sinner retaining one's honor. 

The Tea Ceremony, one of the three arts of refinement in Japan, focuses on the aesthetic elements of preparing traditional Japanese tea. The Seppuku Ritual is a suicide ritual for samurai who made a serious offense to the emperor. 

Styleframe

The story of Sen no Rikyū, the founder of the Way of Tea, explores the last moments of his life in which he wished to perform his last, impeccable tea ceremony. How can a person that is so close to death stay so calm? 

Character Design

The team was inspired by the precise movements and visually appealing qualities of the Japanese tea ceremony to develop the concept for Rikyū. The team’s objective was to keep the original intent of the Tea Ceremony along with the Seppuku Ritual while finding similarities between the two. 

From the Film