Way of Tea » Urasenke

Urasenke Grandmaster performs Tea Ceremony at USS Arizona Memorial

Blake Harvey — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:56:17 +0000

In July, Urasenke Grandmaster, Sen Genshitsu, performed a tea ceremony at the USS Arizona World War II memorial to honor all soldiers who fought and died in the war. Sen Genshitsu actually fought in WWII as a Japanese soldier. He said this tea ceremony in particular was the most memorable of his life.

Sen Genshitsu mentions in his book — Tea Life, Tea Mind — that his goal over the past 50 years as Grandmaster has been to promote “Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea.” This tea ceremony serves as a powerful example of the peace and reconciliation that is possible when we lay our differences aside and embrace what it means to be human.

Watch an ABC news clip of the event on YouTube!

5 Great Interviews with Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Practitioners

Blake Harvey — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:22:09 +0000

I recently found a very nice blog “Tea and Travel” written by Deborah Huff. Over the past couple of months, she has interviewed 5 practitioners of Japanese tea ceremony. I always appreciate reading how people first became interested in chanoyu and the unique perspectives they have on the different facets of studying Tea. Below are links to all 5 interviews. Be sure to read them all!

Part 5: Interview with Drew Hanson – Drew is an Urasenke instructor in the Philadelphia area and has studied Chado for over 15 years.

Part 4: Interview with Michael Ricci – Michael is an Urasenke instructor in Boulder and Fort Collins Colorado area.

Part 3: Interview with Gabriel Cacilua – Gabriel is an Urasenke instructor in Brussels, Belgium and has studied Chado for over 20 years.

Part 2: Interview with Morgan Beard – Morgan is an Urasenke instructor who lectures and performs demostrations in the Philadelphia area.

Part 1: Interview with Rebecca Lynn Craig – Rebecca is a student of Omote-Senke and owner of a tea shop in Ottawa, Canada.

Teaching Tea in Japan

Blake Harvey — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:21:35 +0000

Arriving in Japan three decades ago wasn’t easy for Søren M. Chr. Bisgaard, a Danish-born master of the Urasenke school of the tea ceremony. Even though he had already travelled to 30 countries – including many parts of Asia – he found Japan to be a different type of brew.

View full article

Tea House in Pasadena to be renovated

Blake Harvey — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:21:20 +0000

PASADENA – For 45 years, the little Japanese teahouse hidden away behind the Pasadena Buddhist Temple’s utilitarian building complex has been the classic setting for centuries-old Japanese “Urasenke” tea ceremonies.

The next time the “way of tea” is celebrated there, the teahouse will be the new addition to the Japanese Garden at the Huntington Library. But not until it’s been dismantled, shipped back to Kyoto, rebuilt, taken down, sent back, and put up again in time for the garden’s 100th anniversary in 2012.

Read full story

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Tea Gathering at San Francisco’s Urasenke Society

Blake Harvey — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:51:43 +0000

Christie Bartlett, Founding Director of Ursaenke Society, San Francisco talks about the history of Urasenke, why tea gatherings matter today, and the ripple effect of “peace through a bowl of tea.”

Watch Video

Urasenke Holds its 2010 Hatsugama-shiki (New Year’s Tea Celebration)

Blake Harvey — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:43:13 +0000

Beginning on January 16 and lasting 5 days, Urasenke held its annual New Year’s Tea Celebration at Urasenke’s Tokyo Branch headquarters. Read full article (We will post the English translation once it is available.) Read about the 2008 Hatsugama in English (Similar utensils, scrolls, and flowers are used from year to year. This should give English readers a better understanding of Urasenke’s Hatsugama-shiki.)