And now 70 years later, the 15th Grand Tea Master has just offered his traditional Ken-cha at the memorial site of the U.S.S Arizona. The purpose of this Tea-offering ceremony was to commemorate the many Americans who died there, and to express his desire for reconciliation. Here at Shotoku-an, we joined together with him by offering "A Bowl of Tea for Peace into the Four Directions." The tea-bowl for this offering was a gift from Shibata Kanjiro-sensei, with the name "Lightning of Blessings." Made in Hawaii, a very black bowl with a tinge of blue, and an impressive repair in silver that looks like a stroke of lightning in a black sky. The scroll in the tokonoma has the five kanji Ichi-Wan-Ken-Kon-Uruosu: "one bowl of tea has the power to refresh everything between heaven and earth."
It was my very good fortune to study with Hounsai Daisosho at the Urasenke school, and so it is with great appreciation and great pride that I send this to you. And it is my great delight to invite you to also offer "Ichi-Wan" or one bowl of tea. In this simple way, the spirit of reconciliation through Chado, The Way of Tea, The Way of Peace, can spread out into the Four Directions.
Some of the thoughts of this great teacher are at the bottom of this page.
Some of the thoughts of this great teacher are at the bottom of this page.