Ashikaga Yoshimasa
A lacquer artist named Haneda Gorō, who lived in the era of Higashiyama culture and did lacquer work for Ashikaga Yoshimasa, is credited as the originator of this style of container for powdered tea which at first, as a rule, was black-lacquered. Records of tea gatherings held by Sen no Rikyū reveal that he used "natsume", and that in his day "natsume" were used for "koicha" (thick tea).