>> Cameron Penwell: Good morning
everyone and welcome.
It is my great pleasure to welcome
you all to the Library of Congress.
My name is Cameron Penwell
and I am the Head of
the East Asian Section
in the Library's Asian Division.
Today, we are honored to host
this very special event
and to celebrate 
the 15th anniversary
of the Omotesenke Domonkai,
Eastern Region, USA.
Congratulations on this
significant milestone.
[Applause]
The Library of Congress holds
vast collections related
to Japan and to tea.
The Japanese collections here
total more than 1.2 million
physical items in 
various formats,
whether books, photographs,
woodblock prints,
maps, films, and much more.
The library's collection
of Japanese books,
some of which you may
have seen at the display,
is accessible through
the Asian Reading Room,
while items in other formats can be
viewed at their relevant location,
such as the Prints and
Photographs Reading Room.
All of these collections serve
as invaluable resources
for researchers and
readers of all types,
and are available for use by
anyone who is seeking to deepen
their understanding of
Japan and its history,
culture, and people.
The library preserves and
shares these materials through
exhibitions, displays, and public
programs such as this one,
all with the aim of
fostering cross-cultural
learning and appreciation.
Today, we have the
very special privilege
of welcoming Yūyūsai Sen Sōsa,
the 15th generation
Iemoto of Omotesenke
to speak with us about
Japanese tea culture.
This occasion marks the first time
the library has hosted such an event,
and it is a testament
to the deep and enduring
cultural ties between
Japan and the United States.
We are proud to have the
library co-host this event
in collaboration with Omotesenke,
and we look forward to the
meaningful insights and exchanges that
will emerge from today's gathering.
Thank you again all for being here
and we hope you enjoy today's lecture.
[Applause]
>> Ryuji Ueno: Welcome to
the Library of Congress.
[Applause]
My name is Ryuji Ueno and I'm in 
charge of the Omotesenke, Eastern USA,
and I'm very honored
to have the lecture here
having our Grand Tea Master
celebrating the 15th year anniversary
of the establishment of Omotesenke
Domonkai, Eastern Shore.
Because, you know, this 15 years,
it was planned,
you know, five years ago,
but because of the Covid,
it was pushed back, pushed back,
and then finally this
anniversary event become true.
So we are really impressed.
And today, our Iemoto--
You understand Iemoto?
Iemoto is the owner of the
Omotesenke and the Grand tea master,
and it's quite unusual.
The Grand Tea Master will give you
the lecture in front of the public.
But this is a special occasion,
and I will introduce a
little bit about Iemoto.
He is the 15th generation of
the Omotesenke Sen Sōsa.
15th Army's, maybe 
more than 400 years.
The family pedigree 
is continuing.
And because he is doing
the plenary lecture here,
he is a doctor in literature
and aesthetics
received from
Doshisha University in Japan.
So he made a lot of research work
while he was in the university.
And I'm very glad
to show this occasion,
having Iemoto to meet you and
talk to you directly in person.
And the Omotesenke 
has many, you know,
very well known, politicians,
scientists and so on.
And today,
we have Shugoro Sensei here.
He got a Nobel Prize
a couple of years ago.
[Speaks in Japanese]
[Applause]
And also, I would like to introduce
the ambassador, Shigeo Yamada.
[Applause]
And our division is 54th
branches of Omotesenke.
And the newest branch
among the 54 branches.
The Omotesenke has such a big
unit and many members in there,
but I would like to--
I'm very happy to introduce
15th generation Iemoto,
doctor Sen Sōsa today.
And I would like 
you to enjoy his
very philosophical, you
know, academic talk today.
Please welcome
Iemoto Sen Sōsa.
[Applause]
We will do some showing the
new scroll hanging in the place.
And that is going to be the gift
for the Library of Congress.
And the Kamakura Kosho, please.
[Applause]
And the scroll hanging is,
it just easy to hang the scroll,
but from our point, the scroll
is one of the most important
kind of utensil between
utensils and human.
And because it 
has some words in it,
in that and it's like human
rather than the utensils.
And as you can see,
Kumakura Sosho is doing
the hanging ceremony.
And that is one of the five most
important procedures.
And so all his movement is
all, you know, regulated.
This scroll is written by Iemoto.
For this are as a gift to
the Library of Congress,
and the Iemoto will mention about
what is written on the scroll
during his lecture.
>> Yūyūsai Sen Sōsa:
Okay. Thank you very much.
Good morning everyone.
My name is Sen Sōsa
and I am the 15th generation
Iemoto of Omotesenke Tea Lines.
First of all, I would like to
express my sincere gratitude
to all those involved in giving me
the opportunity to make a speech
at the Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C., today.
The Omotesenke Domonkai
Eastern Region, USA
is celebrating its 15th 
anniversary and I have come to
Washington, D.C. to take part
in the commemorative events,
and this lecture is one of those
commemorative events.
And next week I will be
traveling to New York,
and I'll be presenting a formal
tea offering dedicated to world peace
at Saint John's Divine Cathedral.
What we know now as the
traditional tea culture in Japan
was developed by Sen no Rikyu.
Our ancestor, at the
end of the 16th century,
Omotesenke has inherited the
spirit and form of Chanoyu
that Rikyu developed for about 450
years and continues to the present day.
I succeeded as the
15th generation head of the family
Iemoto in 2018,
counting from Sen no Rikyu,
when my father handed over
the position to me.
The name Sōsa,
which I took at that time,
is the name that the successive
generations of head of our family
have held since Rikyu's great grandson,
the fourth generation Iemoto.
And I also have the name Yuyusai,
which was given to me by
the abbot of Daitoku-ji temple
when I was ordained at the temple
in 1998 and recognized
as the next Iemoto.
Since all successive generations
of Omotesenke have taken the name
Sen Sōsa, so this kind of
name identifies which generation
of Iemoto he is.
When I was a child,
my parents never forced me to
take lessons or they didn't say
anything like you had to be
Iemoto in the future.
But since I spent my childhood
in such an environment,
he was very close to me,
and I watched my father's work
very closely. So I felt that
I would be in that position.
And when I actually succeeded
Iemoto seven years ago,
I felt as if the day
had finally arrived.
Since the time of Sen no Rikyu,
Chanoyu has become one of the
representative cultural arts of Japan
and spread not only throughout
Japan but also to the world.
Domonkai, association
of Omotesenke members
has 53 branches in Japan
and four overseas.
The four overseas branches
are in Hawaii,
Northern California,
Southern California
and the Eastern Region, USA.
Both the Northern and Southern
California branches celebrated
their 15th anniversary last year,
and Hawaii Branch is celebrating
its 17th anniversary this year,
and commemorative events
is planned for next June.
For this occasion,
I would like to talk about
Sen no Rikyu, as well
as about Omotesenke
and Japanese tea culture in general.
And today's talk will be
divided into four parts.
First, I would like to talk
about Chanoyu in general.
And second chapter will be about
Tea master in the 16th century,
Sen no Rikyu. Then such chapter
I will introduce about Omotesenke.
Then final chapter, I
will talk about the spirits and
essence of Chanoyu which
we have carefully inherited.
So now I'm in the first chapter,
and the title of today's lecture is
Chanoyu: The Traditional
Tea Culture in Japan.
Actually, the term tea ceremony
is often used to translate
the word Chanoyu. And the term the
way of tea is sometimes used for
the word sado. I'm not sure how
long this tea ceremony has been used.
Indeed, Chanoyu has
ceremonial elements,
but this does not fully
capture in its nature.
Therefore, for today's lecture,
I will not use the term tea ceremony.
I will just use the
Japanese word Chanoyu.
'Cha' means tea in Japanese and 'yu'
means hot water or boiled water.
So Chanoyu literally means
hot water of tea.
And matcha, powder tea as a
beverage was introduced to Japan
from China in the 13th century.
The act of drinking
tea was eventually with--
The tea was eventually
be sublimated into Chanoyu,
a cultural tradition that represents
Japan in the 15th century.
So how can I explain about Chanoyu?
It is very difficult to
explain it in a simple way,
but the essence of Chanoyu lies
in communicating with
one another through the act of
sharing a bowl of tea.
For this act of drinking tea,
spices such as tea rooms and
tea gardens, as well as various
utensils and craft works
have been created and handed down.
Furthermore, like other Japanese
traditional performing arts,
Chanoyu involves the embodiment
of precise form through
study and practice. There are manners
and etiquette involved in
all aspects of Chanoyu,
including procedures for
preparing and drinking tea
and handling utensils,
and these are learned
through repeated practice.
The tea gathering is a
place for enacting the forms
acquired through this practice.
The host invites guests to a tea
gathering and serves a bowl of tea.
For this purpose,
the host prepares tea and sweets,
as well as utensils such as
kettle tables and tea containers
for serving and drinking
tea and hanging scroll
or other items for display.
The combination of these various
items expresses the atmosphere
of the tea gathering,
and conveys the host's thoughts
to the guests.
It is a lifestyle culture unique
to Japan that aims to nurture
a richer humanity through
the intangible skills such as
etiquette and manners,
and through the expression of
taste that is expressed through
the combination of utensils.
As mentioned earlier, Chanoyu
was developed by Sen no Rikyu
at the end of the 16th century.
This is a portrait of Sen no Rikyu
painted by Hasegawa Tohaku,
and it has been passed down
in our family for generations.
This hanging scroll
is designated as an
Important Cultural Property in Japan.
Here I would like to introduce
Chanoyu that Rikyu developed
into a great masterpiece
by using three words.
The first word is wabi,
a term that expresses
the aesthetic sense of Chanoyu.
This term is based on the idea
that the state of imperfection
or incompleteness is a good thing,
or that we should openly
accept such a state in things.
It is said that the tea master Shukoh,
who was active a
generation before Rikyu,
was the first to introduce the
wabi aesthetic to the world of tea
in the mid-16th century.
For example, in the words of Shuko,
[Speaking in Japanese]
in Japanese,
"Even the moon is not pleasing
when there are no clouds."
In other words,
it is more interesting to see
the moon partly obscured
behind the clouds than to see
the full moon shining brightly.
So if you look up at the night
sky sometimes
and compare the feeling of seeing
the full moon to seeing the moon
peeking out from among the clouds,
you may understand
what the word wabi means.
By the way, if you look up the word
Wabi-cha, wabi style of tea
in Japanese-English Dictionary,
you will find it defined as
tea of quiet taste. But I don't
think this is enough to give you
an idea of what it really means.
I will discuss this
in more detail later,
but please keep in mind that
this wabi aesthetic and wabi spirit
are at the root of Chanoyu.
The second word is chazen-ichimi,
Tea and Zen are one, meaning
that the underlying precepts
behind Zen and Tea are
fundamentally the same.
Zen seeks to illuminate how
one should be as a person
through seated zazen meditation.
In the same way, Chanoyu aims to
nurture a richer sense of humanity
through serving or
drinking a bowl of tea
with a variety of utensils,
and facilitates the exchange of
thoughts between host and the guests.
The term sado was the way of tea,
which is also used to refer to
this art form is derived from
this aspect of Chanoyu.
And the third word is ichi-go ichi-e.
One lifetime, one encounter
which is said to have originated
from Rikyu's teachings.
It means that both the host and
the guests should understand
that each tea gathering is a unique
once in a lifetime occurrence.
This phrase shows how Rikyu
approached Chanoyu and put his
heart into each and
every tea gatherings.
One well-known anecdote about
Rikyu is the story of Morning Glory.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
the ruler of the time,
had a rumor that morning glories
were blooming beautifully
in Rikyu's garden.
So he went to Rikyu's
Teahouse to see them.
However, when he arrived,
he found that all the morning glories
in the garden had been picked,
and there were none to be seen.
Somewhat angry, Hideyoshi
entered the tea room,
where he found a single,
brilliantly colored morning glory
in a flower container in the alcove.
Hideyoshi was greatly impressed
by this presentation.
Instead of showing a large number
of beautiful morning glories,
Rikyu had selected only
the very best example.
And this is thought
to have made the beauty
of the single flower
stand out even more.
It could be said that 
Rikyu's aesthetic
was not one of addition,
but of subtraction.
And Rikyu's sense of beauty is
clearly and visibly conveyed to us
today in the utensils
he used for his Chanoyu.
One of the most representative
and symbolic of these
is a lacquered tea bowl.
Before the time of Rikyu,
ready made bowls were adopted
for use in the preparation of tea.
However, Rikyu was not satisfied
with this and met a craftsman
named Chojiro, whom he
commissioned to create a tea bowl
that would his vision for Chanoyu.
And this photo is a black
tea bowl made by Chojiro,
which has been handed down
in the Omotesenke family.
It is said that Rikyu
always kept it by his side,
so it was given the name Kamuro,
which means personal attendant.
The tradition of lacquer tea bowl has
been passed down to the present day
by successive generations
of [Inaudible] family.
And there are various types of
containers for arranging flowers
in the alcove, including ceramics,
baskets and metal bases,
but the practice of cutting bamboo
to make flower containers
was started by Rikyu.
It is said that in 1590, when
he accompanied Toyotomi Hideyoshi
on a military campaign to Odawara,
when he accompanied Toyotomi
Hideyoshi on military,
sorry, military campaign to Odawara,
he cut the stalk of bamboo from
a local bamboo basket
and used it as a flower container
when he held the gatherings there.
Actually, this flower container is
said to have been made at that time,
and this container is currently
owned by Tokyo National Museum.
And Rikyu's creativity also extended
to the design of the tea room itself.
This tea room, named Tai-an,
located in Kyoto,
is the only existing tea room
made by Rikyu. It is just
two tatami mats in size.
I have actually had the opportunity
to enter this tea room several times.
It is truly a small space,
but when you sit down
there is plenty of height
you do not feel suffocated.
Rikyu must have been seeking
the ultimate confined space
where host and guests
would face each other
with ideal degrees of tension,
connecting them over a bowl of tea.
Rikyu was particular about each
individual utensils and even the
tea room itself in order to
achieve his ideals for Chanoyu.
And Rikyu was valued as an
instructor of tea by the
Japanese rulers of his time,
such as Oda Nobunaga and
Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
and he became one of the most
influential figures of his time.
His presence grew under
the Toyotomi regime,
which used Chanoyu
for political purposes,
and Rikyu was instrumental in
organizing a tea gathering
at the Imperial Palace, as well
as the Kitano Grand Tea Gathering,
which was unprecedented in scale.
In the end, however, Rikyu
incurred Hideyoshi's disfavor
and was ordered to commit suicide,
ending his own life.
The circumstances of his death
are still one of the great
mysteries of Japanese history.
In any case, it can be said that
there was an internal
conflict between Rikyu,
who held to his ideals
for Chanoyu to the end,
and Hideyoshi, who held the
ultimate political power.
After Rikyu's death, his successor
Shoan was exiled from Kyoto
and lived in seclusion
in Aizu Wakamatsu,
which is a long way from Kyoto or more
than 600km away in a straight line.
A few years later,
the Shoan received a letter
which contained a message from
Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
telling him that he had been
forgiven and inviting him to
return to Kyoto.
On his return to Kyoto, Shoan
re-established the same family
at its current location.
This was the end of the 16th century.
The letter that conveyed
Hideyoshi's forgiveness
is known as Shoan meshidashijo
or letter of summons to Shoan,
and it symbolizes the a
revival of the Sen family.
on New Year's morning each year, to
greet the New Year with a fresh mind.
Later in the mid-seventeenth century,
the three sons of Rikyu's
grandson Genpaku Sotan
established the three branches
of the same family
Omotesenke, Urasenke
and Mushakojisenke.
Of these, Omotesenke has a central
lineage of Rikyu's family line
has passed down a tradition
of Rikyu's Chanoyu
for about 450 years and
continues to the present day.
So here I would like to
introduce about Omotesenke.
Successive generations of Iemoto,
or the heads of the familial lineage
preserves the traditions
of their family lines,
while at the same time
seeking ways of being
appropriate to their own times.
The Omotesenke study of tea is
described as being simple and
natural as flowing water.
This means that the procedures
and movement of Chanoyu
should be natural, like water flowing
down a mountain stream without
interruption or stagnation.
This phrase is not just about
how one conducts oneself,
but also refers to one's
attitude towards Chanoyu.
It further implies that the
manners and etiquette of Chanoyu
are an extension of everyday life.
Now let me introduce you to the
tea rooms and tea gardens
at the Omotesenke residence in Kyoto.
And this is the front
gate of Omotesenke,
which looks like the entrance to a
samurai residence at first glance.
In fact, this gate was a gift to
the same family from the
Kishu Tokugawa family in
the early 19th century,
in the recognition of Omotesenke
Iemoto service as a tea advisor
to the Kishu Tokugawa family
during the Edo period.
The Kishu Tokugawa family was
one of the three branches of the
Tokugawa Shoanate family.
Successive generations
of Omotesenke Iemoto
managed their tea utensils
and assisted at tea gatherings
organized by the laws of the domain.
Since then, for about 200 years,
this front gate has been the
face of Omotesenke and has
welcomed many people such as
guests to tea gatherings,
practitioners who come to study tea
and as special visitors to omotesenke.
And this theorem, named Fushin-an,
is symbolic of Omotesenke
tradition as a whole.
Sen no Rikyu was actually born
in Osaka and came to Kyoto only,
only in his later years.
He named the tea room he built in his
first residence in Kyoto, Fushin-an.
The name was received
from his Zen master, [Inaudible],
and is said to have been
taken from the same phrase
Fushin-hana-hiraku konnichinoharu.
Translation is "How mysterious,
the blooming of flowers.
Today it is spring."
The current [Inaudible]
still bears a plaque
with the name [Inaudible]
that was inscribed
by the monk [Inaudible]
in Rikyu's time.
The tea room itself
has a limited space of
about three and a half tatami mats.
The location and layout of the
tea room has changed since the
time of Rikyu, but this does not
change the fact that
this tea room has continued to be the
center of the Omotesenke residence,
and that it symbolizes
the Omotesenke lineage
and that it carries on the
tradition of Rikyu's Chanoyu.
I succeeded to the title of
Iemoto seven years ago,
and I am currently still holding
tea gatherings in Xinjiang
to mark the occasion.
Although various official
events have been held
to celebrate this transmission,
the most important and formal
of these is to invite people
who are closely related to us
to personally announce
the succession of generations through
sharing tea in [Inaudible] tea room.
And this tea room is
called Zangetsu-tei
or ABA of the lingering moon.
In 1587, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
built a castle called Jurakudai
in Kyoto and granted
Rikyu a residence there,
which Hideyoshi frequently visited.
The current Zangetsu-tei was modeled
after a teahouse in
Rikyu's Jurakudai residence.
The name Zangetsu-tei comes from
an anecdote about Hideyoshi,
who is said to have visited Rikyu's
residence and sat in the alcove
of the tearoom to
admire the lingering moon.
Unlike Shingen, this is a
large ten tatami mat room
with a two tatami mats alcove,
and it connects to the next room
so it can be made even larger
by removing sliding doors.
Annual New Year's tea gatherings
are held in this Zangetsu-tei room,
with the sliding doors removed
opening it up to the next room.
Many people attend and are
served koicha, thick tea, to them.
So now let me explain
about this hanging scroll.
As you may have seen
on the photo panel,
or you can see in this photo,
the hanging scroll used at
the New Year's Tea gathering
Omotesenke is calligraphy
written by the third generation
Iemoto or Genpaku Sotan.
It is a Zen phrase
[Inaudible]
[Inaudible] means
"In spring, the sound
of the nightingale
can be heard everywhere in the forest."
The original phrase is
not about nightingales,
but flowers, about certain
changes the flowers to nightingale
for this hanging scroll.
And I'd like to present a hanging
scroll with the same words
to the Library of Congress
to commemorate this occasion.
So...
Haru means spring,
Iru means enter,
and [Inaudible] means
like, [Inaudible] forest
and [Inaudible] means everywhere.
And this [Inaudible]
means nightingale.
So it means, as I said,
"In spring, the sounds
of the nightingale
can be heard everywhere in the forest."
At first glance, it may be seem--
It may seem different than the--
compare with [Inaudible]
But, it's just my
version of calligraphy.
So now let's go back to
the Omotesenke tea rooms.
This is the Founder's Hall.
A wooden statue of Sen no
Rikyu is enshrined here.
So when you enter the tea room,
a statue of Sen Rikyu is enshrined
behind a round window in front of you.
Actually, various parts of our
legends have been destroyed by fire
on several occasions
throughout its history.
But this Founder's Hall has
escaped the various fires,
and is the oldest surviving buildings
on the Omotesenke property.
The tea garden is
called [Inaudible].
Informal Tea Gatherings.
People walk through the
[Inaudible] to reach the tea room.
This [Inaudible] is sometimes
described as being like
a mountain dwelling in
the middle of the city,
suggesting that it creates a feeling
of being deep in the mountains
while still being in the city.
The Omotesenke Tea Garden
is actually densely filled with
trees and the ground
is covered with moss,
making it a fitting embodiment
of the ideal of purity and tranquility.
Midway along the path,
there is a middle gate.
Passing through this middle gate
is like leaving the mundane world
and going deep into the mountains.
In this way, the stage for Chanoyu
is not only the interior space of the
tea room. The tea gardens are also
important part of the tea gatherings.
Now I would like to talk about
Omotesenke Domonkai
Eastern Region, USA here.
The Eastern Region, USA
was established in 2010,
and since then activities have been
carried out mainly in four areas.
Washington D.C., New York,
Florida and Philadelphia.
I attended the inauguration
ceremony in 2010
and presented a tea offering at the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
in New York. As mentioned earlier,
there will be a commemorative
event in New York next week,
and the offering ceremony
will be held in the same location.
This cathedral is said to be the
largest Gothic style building
in the world, and both the interior
and exterior creates a solemn
and dignified atmosphere.
In Japan, dedication offerings
are usually held at shrines or
temples, but the dedication
ceremony at the cathedral
gave me a different kind of attention.
I remember the words of Doctor
Ryuji Ueno, Eastern Region, USA
at the opening ceremony.
Let's do activities that will
become a bridge between Japan
and the United States.
Actually, this is the first time to
come to Washington, D.C. since then,
so I've been looking forward
to my first visit in 15 years.
Now, I'd like to talk about the
spirit and essence of Chanoyu.
At the beginning, I mentioned
that the tea gathering
is a place for implementing
and sharing the forms
that we run in our regular practice.
There are various
types of tea gatherings.
When you think of tea gatherings,
many people may think of
something like the one in the photo
with lots of people taking part.
This type of tea gathering
is called [Inaudible]
[] tea gathering in which a large
number of guests are hosted at once.
This [Inaudible] tea gathering was
conceived in the 20th century,
in response to the large
increase in the number of people
attending tea gatherings.
Since many people are participating
in this 50th anniversary event,
the commemorative tea gatherings
are being held in this style.
And there is also tea gatherings
held outdoors.
This tea gathering is held at
Nijo Castle in Kyoto
during the cherry blossom
season every year.
It is very elegant
to enjoy a bowl of tea
under the cherry blossoms
in full bloom.
And the most formal type of
tea gathering is called Chaji
or tea event, in which a small number
of guests are invited and served
a kaiseki meal koi-cha, thick tea
and usu-cha, thin tea
in an intimate settings.
The tea gathering held in Shingon
to mark my succession,
I mentioned earlier,
is held in this style.
Let me introduce another
utensils owned by Sen no Rikyu.
This photo shows a flower
container called Korai-tsutsu,
or Koryo cylindrical vase which
has been used in tea event
to announce my succession
of the Iemoto [Inaudible].
As the name Koryo
cylindrical base suggests,
it was thought that this flower
container was made in Korea
when Rikyu used it, but
today's research suggests
that it may have been
made in southern China
or in the southern barbarians.
In his later years,
Rikyu used this container
very frequently,
and there are actual records
of it being used at tea gatherings.
It is said that Rikyu once said that
if he had these three things,
Zen monks calligraphy,
a blackduck tea bowl,
and this Korya cylindrical
vase, Korai-tsutsu,
he would not feel lonely even if
he lived in the deep mountains.
At the tea event, hanging scroll
is first hung in the alcove,
and then, when serving 60 koicha,
the arrangement is changed and a
flower container is hung in the alcove
and flowers are arranged in it.
At tea event to announce my succession,
I hung this flower container in
the alcove of Shingon
and arranged flowers.
The photo shows how the
flowers were arranged.
The first one shows camellias
and Japanese dogwood.
The second photo
shows mountain peonies.
And the third photo shows
saga chrysanthemums.
While actually using it for tea event,
I was always thinking about
which elements of the vase made
Rikyu's sense of beauty.
From a sculptural point of view,
it feels like a simple cylinder
with no particular design,
but when flowers are arranged,
the flowers seemed to come
to life and stand out.
It seems to me that this space
tells us that the flowers
themselves, not the vase itself,
are the object that should be seen.
The utensils are an important
element of tea gathering
and appreciating and using
them are also part of the
enjoyment of Chanoyu.
Each tea utensils has its own story.
Who owned it and what kind of
tea gathering was it used for?
The same thing can be said,
even if the item is not
something with a long history
such as Korai-tsutsu.
It might be something you liked
and bought on a trip,
or it might have been given to you
by your parents or a
teacher you studied under.
And when was it used?
At what tea gathering
and who was invited?
The thoughts of the owner are
contained in each and every utensil,
and these thoughts of the
owner are passed on to the
next generations,
and the utensils of Chanoyu
exist beyond the ages.
Actually, some of the utensils used
in the Chanoyu are over 400 years,
dating back to the time
of Sen no Rikyu,
and even more. You may have
the opportunity to see them
in a display case at art museums.
However, the utensils of
Chanoyu are not for viewing,
but for actual use in tea gatherings.
If it is a hanging scroll,
it should be hung in the alcove.
If it is from a container,
it can be used to arrange flowers
and if it is a table,
you actually use it
to make and drink tea.
I believe that the utensils
of Chanoyu comes alive
when actually used and touched
by hands at the tea gathering.
Now let us return to about
the tea gatherings.
What about the types of tea gatherings?
The host prepares every
detail of the guests pleasure
and it is hoped that the guests
will recognize the
host's thoughtfulness
when they participate
in the tea gathering.
I mentioned the phrase
Ichi-go ichi-e
'One life time, one encounter' earlier.
The host prepares the utensils,
selects the tea and the sweets,
clean the tea room and tea garden
in preparation for the
guests attendance at the tea gathering.
The guests, on the other hand,
are expected to attend
tea gathering in the same spirit
of constellation as a host.
In this way, the hearts of the
host and guests connect to
sharing tea and once in a
lifetime gathering is realized.
Chanoyu is also known as
the culture of hospitality.
However, hospitality in Chanoyu
is not a one way act.
It is something that can
only be achieved when both host
and guests respect
and honor each other.
Earlier I mentioned that the
host conveys the purpose and
atmosphere of tea gathering
through the selection of utensils.
Among the assortment of
utensils used in a tea gathering,
the alcove utensils are
the ones that most clearly
express the purpose of tea gathering
and thought of the host.
In this regard, there
is a tea gathering
that holds a special
place in my memory.
After graduating
from university in Japan,
I went to England to study.
Just before I left for England,
a certain person held a
farewell tea gathering for me.
In the alcove there was a
painting of a large ship sailing
through the waves with the inscription
[Speaking in Japanese]
Iron ship [Inaudible]
above the waves.
So it signifies that if the
ship is this magnificent,
there is no need to be
afraid of high waves.
And in front of the hanging scroll
was a boat shaped flower vase named
Jambu, favorable wind.
From the setting of the alcove,
I could understand what the host
was trying to communicate
at this tea gathering.
He was wishing me a safe journey
and conveying that there was
nothing to fear,
even if I encountered
difficulties while abroad.
Although he did not say these
things specifically during the tea,
I could clearly sense his intention
from the arrangement of its utensils.
On the other hand, due to my
own lack of my explanation,
I have also experienced what a tea
gathering is like when form is ignored.
One time I was asked to provide a group
of young researchers from a certain
overseas institute an opportunity
to experience Japanese tea culture.
I wanted them to relax and enjoy a
bowl of tea without any formalities.
So I told them not to
worry about etiquette
and that they should
just try a bowl of tea first.
Of course, there were some people
who had probably studied
the etiquette beforehand
and asked many questions,
but there were also some who
lifted the tea bowl with one hand,
as if they were drinking
black tea out of a teacup,
or lifted utensils high in
the air to look at them.
Since I did not explain clearly,
it was my own fault, so I had
no intention of blaming them.
However, I realized that I
had my own assumptions that
if the utensils was an important
object presented by the host,
regardless of whatever,
whether it was expensive or not,
it would be natural to handle it
carefully with both hands.
And the guests consideration would be
expressed naturally in their behavior.
Through this type of experience,
I have come to understand
that the form of Chanoyu is an
important rule and common
language for those who attend
tea gatherings. The tea
gathering is a place where
people enact the form that they have
learned through the regular practice,
and even if they do not speak in words,
the form serves as a tool
for communication.
This form is where the
soul of Chanoyu resides.
There is a phrase [Inaudible]
sit together to build together,
meaning that a true tea
gathering is realized
when both the host and the guests
have mutual respect for each other
and become as one in their hearts.
Even though they are in the same
genre of traditional Japanese culture,
Chanoyu is not the
work of art like ikebana,
Noh is a staged performance
like Noh or kabuki.
The tea gathering itself is both the
work of art and the stage for Chanoyu.
And it is not the host
alone who created,
the guests also play an important
role in the creation of tea gathering.
Ultimately, a true tea gathering is a
collaborative effort between
host and guests where all play
their respective roles to
construct a single, unique moment.
I said earlier that a form
is the common language
of the people who assembled
at tea gathering.
So when you learn a language,
the language itself
should not be the objective.
The purpose of learning a language
is not to get a good score on a test.
Rather it is learning what to tell
to whom or how and with whom
to communicate using that language.
Language is only a means
of communication.
I think the same thing applies
to the form of Chanoyu.
I think the ultimate goal
is not the form itself,
but how to interact with others
or to create something new
at a tea gathering,
through mastery of the form
as a means of communication.
And Chanoyu represents a
significant component
of Japan's traditional
cultural heritage,
having remained largely unaltered in
its form and essence for approximately
500 years since the
time of Sen no Rikyu.
This enduring tradition, however,
is not just that old things
have been left behind.
It is perpetually evolving to
incorporate new mythologies
in response to the demands
of the changing world.
Japanese culture is currently
attracting a lot of attention
around the world.
The World Expo will be held in
Osaka, Japan from next month.
Many people from various countries
and regions will visit Japan,
and I think they will also be
interested in Japanese culture.
But this is not the first
time that Japanese culture
has drawn attention internationally.
In the 19th century,
there was a trend called
Japonisme that was
triggered by artifacts
sent from Japan to various world expos.
The most well-known
of these is Ukiyo-e.
In the realm of Chanoyu, Toku Zen
the 14th generation of Eiraku family,
who produced tea bowls for
the Chanoyu of same families,
actively participated in the
expositions held in Europe
and the United States
during this period,
and received various awards.
This tea bowl is a peony design was
one of his award winning works.
However, the Japanese boom at
this time was all about objects,
and people were primarily
interested in Japanese style beauty
as represented by these objects.
If we are to advocate for a kind
of Japonisme in the present age,
rather than focusing on an
object centered perspective,
I would argue that
what is important is the
emotional connection between host
and guests that is mediated
by these objects.
I believe that it is necessary
to promote Chanoyu,
rather as a space where the
spirit of mutual respect among
the participants can be exchanged.
After the time of Covid disaster,
when it was difficult for people to
be in direct contact with each other,
people may have come
to realize even more deeply
how important and precious
it is to have heart to heart
relationships fostered by
sharing the same time
and the same place with others.
As the phrase Ichigo Ichie suggests,
Chanoyu place importance
on each encounter,
and the essence of Chanoyu lies
in the fact that the host and
the guests share the same time
and the same place in the tea room
and through a single bowl of tea,
communicate with each
other through their hearts.
This form of direct personal
connection that cannot be
achieved or resolved through
virtual or online interactions
is what our predecessors valued and
what we should value in the future,
and I believe that this is
the reason why Chanoyu
has been passed on from
generation to generation.
These days we hear a lot about
division and confliction
in various places. I think
that the spirit of Chanoyu,
which involves consideration for
others and treating each other
with respect, is needed more
than ever in times like this,
As things change, I think that
the significance of Chanoyu
being passed down in the present
day lies in its ability to convey
important things that
will never change.
Now it's nearly time to finish.
So I should be finish my lecture.
[Laughter]
Thank you very much.
[Applause]
>> Ryuji Ueno:
Yeah. Thank you very much.
So thank you very much for
listening to the plenary lectures.
Now we are going to
the Q and A session,
and today our Professor Morse
from Amherst will translate
what our Iemoto will answer
to you with a little bit
of addition based on his knowledge.
Okay. Okay. Are there any questions?
Question or--
Okay. Yeah, please.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> Hi.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So the question is that the
Iemoto said that with each generation,
Chanoyu changes
while preserving its essence.
And the question is,
how does the Iemoto believe that
Chanoyu is going to
change in the future?
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> Thank you for the question.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So, as I said in my talk,
the importance of Chanoyu is
that it preserves tradition
while in each generation there
are certain elements that change.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So one change that comes to
mind is that in the Meiji era,
when people came to
Japan from the West,
Chanoyu came to be practiced
while using chairs.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So when I think about what may
change in the present generation,
I think in particular
about the possibility
of the universality of Chanoyu.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So as I mentioned in my talk,
the importance of the host
and the guest being
able to share something
with one another in each tea event.
And I consider that to
be of particular importance
in a moment like the one
we are living in now.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So in Japan, there are
fewer and fewer tatami spaces.
And there are more and more
people who do not like sitting
in the formal way of
[Inaudible] so I think...
>> Yūyūsai Sen Sōsa: Oh.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So I would like to continue,
in spite of new kinds of popularities,
to continue to communicate the
fundamental parts of Chanoyu.
[Speaking in Japanese]
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> Yeah. So thank you
so much for the talk.
Oh. Stand up. And, sorry.
[Speaking in Japanese]
So I'm just curious,
you know, how with the Japan's
becoming extremely popular,
matcha is, you know, becoming limited,
like, it's really hard to find
matcha I've seen in the news,
you know, how does Omotesenke
and Tea Ceremony and Chanoyu
fit into kind of this, like exchange
between the U.S. and Japan?
Like, how can we kind of
continue to spread the word of
Omotesenke here as
popularity of Japan rises?
[Speaking in Japanese]
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So it certainly is true that
matcha has become popular
around the world, in particular
because people know that it is
good for one's health. And there
are limits put on the purchase of
matcha at Japanese department stores,
where customers, in fact, can only
buy one can of matcha at a time.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So indeed, matcha
is part of Chanoyu,
but it really is only one part.
The physical tea itself
is only one part of Chanoyu.
And what I think is most
important is that host and guest
be able to share one bowl of
matcha together.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So I do think it is important
whether it is in Japan or
outside of Japan,
that hosting guests to be able
to share a bowl of tea,
and that being central to Chanoyu.
And I also think it is important
too for Japanese people
to continue educating others,
people outside of Japan,
that it really is in the
sharing of a bowl of tea
in which the essence of Chanoyu lies.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So one can hope
that by liking Matcha,
one will learn more about Chanoyu.
It would be an entry
point into Chanoyu.
And similarly, when I was on the
West Coast last year,
I heard that lots of young people
who become interested in
manga and anime want to learn
Japanese language,
so it's possible that these two
phenomena can parallel one another.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> So I hope through
encounters like that,
these young people will learn
more about the Japanese spirit.
They'll learn more about
the importance of Omotenashi,
of treating each other with deep
respect between host and guest.
And that, I think,
can be a part of the future.
[Speaking in Japanese]
>> Ryuji Ueno: Thank you so much.
Now we'll finish the Q and A session
and move to the ceremony
to transfer the gift
to the Library of Congress.
[Speaking in Japanese]
Can you follow the hanging scroll?
Back in the box.
So this is also the very
important procedures.
I'd like to invite Miss Robin Dale,
Deputy Librarian for Library
Collections and Services
at the Library of Congress.
[Applause]
>> Yūyūsai Sen Sōsa: So I'd like
to give you three items.
First one is a hanging scroll.
As I said in the lecture,
[Inaudible]
"In spring, the sound of the
nightingale can be heard
everywhere in the forest."
And second one is 15 photographs.
You may have seen in
the photo sessions.
And the third one is a book titled
"Research on Chanoyu in Modern Times,
Centering on Omotesenke."
It is written by me,
and other 33 books.
[Applause]
[Applause]