Joeki Sano Joeki Sano was a wealthy merchant in the early Edo period. He was anadopted son of the Sano family, which together with the Kadokura, Chaya, and Goto families, typified the upper layer of the merchant class at that time.The name of the family store was "Haiya." Joeki Sano was also known as a literary man, familiar with a variety of arts including chanoyu (the tea ceremony), tanka poetry, renga (linked haiku poems), and kemari (traditional Japanese football). From childhood, he was heavily influenced by Koetsu Honami, and had a friendly relationship with Gomizunoo and others at the Imperial Court. His views and reminiscences of literature and performing arts were recorded in his essay "Nigiwahikusa." He was also known for "redeeming" Tayu Yoshino, the famous geisha of Rokujo-misujimachi and the head of "The Rokujo Group of Seven," and making her his wife, in competition with Nobuhiro Konoe. BACK