A painting shop *eya 絵屋 or atelier founded by Sōtatsu 宗達 (?-1640?), who is thought to have been from the wealthy merchant class of Kyoto. Sōtatsu was also one of the founders of the *Rinpa 琳派 painting school. Sōtatsu enjoyed a good reputation in Kyoto in the early 17th century and produced a broad range of popular works that were sold at the shop. These works included fans, screens, paper decorated with underpainting for calligraphy, shell painting, and stencils for dying textiles, as well as paintings known as "Tawaraya" pictures, tawaraya-e 俵屋絵. Many of these works still exist. The *Inen 伊年 seal used by Sōtatsu was also used by many of his followers.
Tawaraya is also the name used by Sōtatsu's follower, Tawaraya Sōsetsu 俵屋宗雪 (active mid-17th century). Hired by the Maeda 前田 family in 1642 as an official painter, Sōsetsu was moved from Kyoto to Kanazawa 金沢, where he probably established a workshop. Many screens of flowers and grasses that can still be found in the Kanazawa area are associated with this workshop. The key works of Sōsetsu's career are the paired screens of Akikusa-zu 秋草図 (Chrysanthemum, Autumn Grasses) and Ryūko-zu 龍虎図 (Dragon and Tiger). Sōsetsu is thought to have died in 1644, and was probably succeeded by Kitagawa Sōsetsu 喜多川相説 (act. mid-17th century). A large number of screens from this atelier were produced until the end of the Edo period.