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| Urasenke International Convention in Hawaii commemorating the 50th Year of Urasenke Overseas |
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| General Information/Program |
| In 1951, the present Urasenke grand master, SEN Soshitsu XV, made his first journey outside Japan to promote the Way of Tea. His first destination was Hawaii, and that very year, the first official Urasenke chapter outside Japan - the Urasenke Hawaii Chapter - was established. This year, 2001, thus represents the 50th year since the Grand Master began his life's work to spread understanding and appreciation of the ideals of the Way of Tea - ideals which engender Peace - to people throughout the world, and it also marks the 50th anniversary of the Urasenke Hawaii Chapter. Commemorating these two milestones in the history of Urasenke, the first-ever Urasenke International Convention was held this summer (July 19-23) in that significant place, Hawaii. Appropriate to the convention theme, "Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea: Tea Beyond National Boundaries," approximately 1,200 Urasenke followers from around the world, including 500 Chado Urasenke Tankokai members from all parts of Japan, participated in the convention and shared in the various celebratory events. Attending from Japan as special guests were T.I.H. Prince Takamado Norihito and Princess Hisako. An important business-related event on the program was the World Representatives' Meeting, at which the present Urasenke chapters and dokokai (official interest groups) outside Japan were officially moved from the management of the Urasenke Foundation to that of the corporate body Chado Urasenke Tankokai, Inc., effectively making the latter a worldwide Urasenke membership organization. |
Program | ||
| July 19 (Thu) | 9:00-3:00 | Commemorative tea gatherings |
| 11:00-2:00 | Tenshin (lunch) service, at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki | |
| 3:00-4:30 | World representatives' meeting | |
| 5:30-8:00 | Urasenke Hawaii Chapter 50th Anniversary banquet | |
| July 20 (Fri) | 9:00-10:30 | Sacred tea-offering ceremony (kencha-shiki) in memory of the early Hawaiian forefathers and in prayer for world peace, at Iolani Palace |
| 2:00-3:20 | Grand commemorative ceremony, at the Hawaii Convention Center | |
| 3:30-4:10 | Lecture by Grand Master SEN Soshitsu XV, at the Hawaii Convention Center | |
| 5:30-8:00 | Banquet hosted by the Grand Master and his family | |
| - end of core convention events - | ||
| July 21-22 (Sat, Sun) | Optional tours Tea service at the Urasenke Hawaii Branch Han'yoan tearoom Viewing of the "Tea Artistry of the Urasenke Grand Master" Exhibition at the Honolulu Academy of Arts | |
| July 23 (Mon) | Tea service at the Urasenke Hawaii Branch Han'yoan tearoom | |
| 5:30-8:00 | Sayonara Party, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Conference Center Tapa Ballroom | |