THE WAY OF TEA

While water is consumed the most, tea is second. The drinking of tea began in ancient China, the Shang Dynasty (1500-1046 BC).  But legend has it that the first cup of tea was brewed in 2723 BC for Emperor Shennong.  Coffee, is #3 and only came in the 15th century, probably in Yemen.

I've posted on tea several times.  Here is one from 20June2016.  To quote:

While hot beverages now have officially been placed on the warning list for being carcinogenic, coffee and tea appear now to have a range of health benefits that warrant your high consideration.  Just don't drink them too hot.

You thought you knew tea (mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup)?

• White (30-55):  wilted and unoxidized
• Yellow (33):  unwilted and unoxidized, and allowed to yellow
• Green (35-70):  uwilted and unoxidized
• Oolong (50-75):  wilted, bruised and partially oxidized
• Black (60-90):  wilted, sometimes crushed and fully oxidized (sometimes called Red)

Today, I will focus on a special type of tea, and the accompanying ceremony.  

• Began with Sen no Rikyu, Japanese tea master from 1522-1591 who is known for chanoyu, the Way of Tea.
• The tea used is matcha, or powdered green tea.
• Three Ways of Tea descended:  Omotosenke, Urasenke and Muchakojisenke.
• Rikyu was born in Osaka as Yoshiro Sen, and studied tea at age 19.
• Became a tea master for both  Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
• Emperor Ogimachi bestowed Yoshiro the title, Rikyu Koji.
• A difference of opinion with Hideyoshi was the reason why Rikyu comitted ritual suicide at the age of 70.  His next to last act was an exquisite tea ceremony.
• The tea room and accoutrements he designed then persist today.
• He began the Sen-family's tradition of chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony.
• Rikyu's death is still annually observed today.
• The three Sen families take turns holding a memorial ceremony on the 28th of every month at their family temple in Kyoto.
• 
  Today:
• Urasenke's 16th grand master is Genmoku Soshitsu, who was born in 1956.
• Omotosenke, 15th grand master Sosa, born 1970.
• Mushakojisenke, 14th grand master Sen Soshu, 1945.

I am most familiar with Urasenke for three reasons.

• Sen Soshitsu XV was the 15th Grand Master.  
• Born in 1923 in Kyoto.
• During World War II, was in the Japanese Navy airforce, and while assigned to be a kamikaze pilot, was deliberately bypassed to preserve his dynasty.
• Became especially linked to the University of Hawaii, where leaders of the state met as a Urusenke tea ceremony group.
• Served in an official capacity from 1964 to 2002.  His son Soshitsu Sen XVI, who is married to a granddaughter of Emperor Taisho, replaced him.
• In his retirement adopted the name Sen Genshitsu.
• 
  Traveled the world to promote the ethos of Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea.
• Met him in February of this year when he gave a lecture and presided over a tea ceremony at the University Hawaii Manoa Campus.  Here he was, over a hundred years old, and he stood for an entire hour for his talk.  He had an interpreter, but his voice was strong.

• Six months later, on 14August2025, he passed away at the age of 102.
• 
  The second reason is that, more than 40 years ago, I was asked by the then president of the University of Hawaii, Fujio Matsuda, to join his Urusenke tea ceremony group.  Members were the political leaders of the state.  I declined.  Why?  They met regularly on Saturday mornings.  I had a golf group I did not want to abandon.  The others in this foursome were the Chancellor of the campus, dean of engineering and another university administrator.  Who knows, if I had turned to tea, I might have become governor of the state, which on afterthought, would not have been as enjoyable as what became my life.  Above right is a photo of the Way of Tea Center on the Manoa Campus.

I also had another tea ceremony encounter a couple of decades ago.

• During my quest to promote the Blue Revolution, I gave several speeches on the subject in Japan.
• In one of those, an invitation by Nihon University of Tokyo, a member of the Osaka Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations, which had received two $1 billion dollar awards for the building of two Kansai Airport runways, was present.
• 
  I was asked to give a talk in Kyoto to the group.
• The leader was someone named Masaharu Kimoto, who had a PhD in marine resources and was a  teamaster (top row left).  We visited him in April of 2009.  

This might have been our most enjoyable day/night, ever. Dr. Masaharu Kimoto (marine resource leader, shamisen expert, teamaster...and much more) arranged for his wife, Mihoko, aide, Mr. Katayama (who is soon to receive his PhD), and translator, Aya, a former Geiko, to take us through Heian Shrine (Pearl/Aya/Mihoko in top photo above), Nijo Castle, The Golden Pavilion (tour guide/Mihoko/Pearl/Aya/Katayama)...soba lunch...and Sanjusangen-do, which houses 1002 Buddhas (where photography is prohibited--wonder how this photo was taken for Wikipedia). This is the site where, Miyamoto Musashi had his famous duel with Yoshioka Denshichiro in 1604. Next door is the Hyatt Hotel.

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We then attended a Maiko/Geiko (in Kyoto, Geishas are called Geikos) stage performance, followed by a fabulous Kyoto dinner, joined by two Maikos (novices learning the trade) and a Geiko, who then all accompanied us to a karaoke bar, where I had a Nikka Tsuru and sang "Blue Hawaii" with Pearl.

• 
  Kimoto-san visited Honolulu, and as he hosted me for 18-holes in Kyoto, I did the same at what then was the most challenging in the world, the Koolau Golf Course. He got a hole-in-one.
• This led to him asking me to join the board of his fisheries cooperative, for which I got a monthly stipend, which went on for a decade.
• I also learned about the Way of Tea when I visited him.  This was my third connection to Urasenke.  He bestowed on me a tea ceremony kit.

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