Grave of Matsudaira Fumai

Gesshoji Temple (map)
Matsue, Japan

Matsudaira Fumai (technically, Matsudaira Harusato; Fumai was his "tea name"), the seventh lord of Matsue, held office from 1767–1806. A celebrated tea master who also managed to repair the perilous finances of his province, Fumai is probably the best-known of the daimyo who are buried in Gesshoji.

His grave is prominently situated on a hill above the plot of Matsudaira Naomasa (previous page). Its wooden gate was skillfully carved in openwork relief by Kobayashi Jodei; the third photo from the top shows a dragon on its inside tympanum, and the bottom photo shows one of the famous bunches of grapes that Jodei carved underneath its bracket arms.