Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Urasenke 4th East Asian Tea Culture Symposium

This past weekend I attended the 4th East Asian Tea Culture Symposium at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

From the Center for Japanese Studies website:

Organized and sponsored by Dr. Genshitsu Sen, these two events are the fourth in a series of annual gatherings (Tianjin, China in 2004, Seoul, Korea in 2005, Tokyo, Japan in 2006) that bring together scholars, artists and influential leaders in civil society from China, Japan, and Korea (and for the first time this year, Western scholars, as well) to discuss traditional East Asian culture and the role it might play in fostering peace and understanding in Asia and the Pacific. This year, the symposium and panel are being held at Manoa to commemorate the University of Hawai‘i’s centennial. Though most of the speakers will give presentations in their native language, all sessions will include English interpretation.

The following pictures were taken with my cellphone (Day one) and with my camera (Day two).

Day One

Dr. Sen Genshitsu, Chado Urasenke 15th generation tea master.


Dr. Robert Huey and Dr. Paul Varley


Dr. Wayne Farris, "One Man's Approach to the Study of Tea and the Japanese Tea Ceremony"

Dr. Herbert Plutchow, "A Ritual Approach to Chanoyu"

Other speakers on the first day included Dr. Miyagi Tokumasa ("Okinawan Pottery"), Consul General Kunikata Toshio, Dr. Xiao Li ("Court Tea Ceremony During the Tang and Song Dynasties"), Dr. Jeon-Yull Park ("Lecturing on 'Japan's Tea Culture' in the Tearoom: Lessons to be Taught and Learned"), Dr. Kurasawa Yukihiro ("Reflections on the philosophy of Wabicha"). All in all a very interesting symposium, although quite long at 8 hours, but the free food helped make it worth it. I'll post Day 2 information soon.