Rikyuki, March 2023

Chado Urasenke Tankokai San Francisco Association Rikyuki Tea Ceremony

On Sunday, March 5, 2023, the Chado Urasenke Tankokai San Francisco Association held its annual Rikyuki memorial tea ceremony for the founder of tea ceremony, SEN no Rikyu (1522-1591), at Hokka Nichi Bei Kai (Japanese American Association of Northern California) in San Francisco Japantown.

This event was hosted by KOBARA Soko, Distinguished Master (Meiyo Shihan) of the Urasenke School of Tea, and her students. The day began with flower offerings in the memory of Rikyu. Three seatings of tea ceremony followed.

KOBARA Soko explained the scroll with the image of Rikyu koji which was drawn by Mushakoji-senke Wakasosho, So-oku at the age of 13 years old and the calligraphy was written by his father, Mushakoji-senke 14th generation Oiemoto, Soshu. This was actually a thank you letter (tamegaki jiku) addressed to the late Rev. KOBARA Seiji as appreciation of their visit to San Francisco in 1990. It was later mounted as a scroll.

YOSHIKAWA Soai served as teishu (host), Sochi Flynn served as hanto (assistant), and Soei Bartlett, Director of Urasenke Foundation San Francisco, was the first guest during the first seating. Mr. ARIMURA Yuki, Consul at Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, and HAGIWARA Sojin, the Chief of Administration of the Association, attended this seating as the second and third guests, respectively.

MIURA Ruriko served as teishu, KOBARA Soru served as hanto, and Sokei Wooster was the first guest during the second seating.

GODA Maki served as teishu, YOSHIKAWA Soai served as hanto, and Sokei Wright was the first guest of the third seating.

During the tea ceremony, the guests deepened their thoughts toward Rikyu and their appreciation for his teachings on the Way of Tea.