抄録
The word "Tenka-Ichi" was popular during the Muromachi period (1392-1573) and meant the "absolute best throughout Japan without peer." Artisans began to appear in Kyoto, Nara, Sakai and other commercial and industrial cities in the Kansai area during the latter half of the 16th century who called themselves by the title "Tenka-lchi " In this thesis, I use text and pictorial material to clarify the activities of artisans who referred to themselves by the title "Tenka-Ichi" and who displayed that word on their own signboards.
