MAGNIFICENT JAPANESE NATSUME  Sumiyoshi Makie Urasenke  

Sen Sōshitsu XV (十五代千宗室) refers to the 15th generation head (iemoto) of Urasenke, one of the most widely known schools of Japanese tea. Hōunsai (鵬雲斎) was a religious appellation that he received in 1949 from his Zen mentor, and it is the name that he generally is known by to distinguish him as the 15th Sen Sōshitsu. His son succeeded him as the 16th generation head of Urasenke, and inherited the name Sōshitsu, in December 2002. With that, Sen Sōshitsu XV discontinued his own use of the name Sōshitsu. He adopted the name Genshitsu (玄室) to use instead, and thus has officially gone by the name Sen Genshitsu since then.

Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1918. After graduating from Doshisha University, completed the University of Hawaii and the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Central University of Korea. In 1945, he became a young sect master after receiving the training degree under the guidance of President Goto Zuigan of Daitokuji Temple, and the name "Pengunsai" and the name "Genshu Sokou". In October 1964, he became the 15th Iemoto of the Urasenke family, and today he was named as the hermitage lord. In December 2002, he transferred his family to Sen Soshitsu Xuan, and became a master of Sen Soshitsu Xuan. (Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Letters) Advocating the idea of ​​"peacefulness from a bowl", he has visited more than 60 countries around the world more than 300 times with his way, learning, and reality, and has developed activities for the penetration and development of tea ceremony culture and the realization of world peace. ing. Urasenke has 107 overseas bases in 34 countries and regions, and about 400 people from 42 countries under the tea ceremony study abroad system established in 1970).

Currently, a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Japan-UN Goodwill Ambassador (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Goodwill Ambassador for Tourism in Japan (Tourism Agency), Chairman of the United Nations Association of Japan, Chairman of the Rotary Japan Foundation, Olympia Japan.

Sen Soshitsu the 15th generation of the Sen Soshitsu Xuan family and his father was the 14th sect , commonly known as the "Tansai sect room". Joined the Navy by mobilizing students, was hired by the Preparatory Student Flight Department, received training as an officer, and volunteered for a special attack kamikaze unit (special attack unit) at his own will. Many of his friends sortie as a special attack unit, and when he tried to receive an assault order, he was discharged at the end of the war. After returning to the Department of Economics, Faculty of Law and Economics, Doshisha University after the end of the war, he lived a training life under the president of Daitokuji Temple, Mizuiwa Goto. In 1964, Sen no Rikyu, the 15th generation Urasenke, was named the former Somuro of the Iemoto family. Received the Medal with Blue Ribbon, Medal with Purple Ribbon, Person of Cultural Merit / Order of Culture, and 2nd Class, Gold and Silver Star.

Tea ceremony is a rare and comprehensive culture that envelops everything from artistry, religion, philosophicality, and sociability. For more than 60 years, he have endeavored to convey the heart of this tea ceremony to people all over the world, both domestically and internationally, with the phrase "peacefulness from a bowl". Through this internet homepage, he hope that the idea of ​​"Wakei Seijaku" conveyed by the tea ceremony can be of some help to peace and happiness, which are the true wishes of all humankind in the world.

NAHA, Okinawa - SEN Genshitsu says the guilt of surviving World War II was the impetus for his quest for world peace.

SEN is the traditional honorific title for Japan's grand tea master in the Urasenke Chado tradition. Now 82, he travels around the world to spread the spirit of the "Way of Tea," or "peacefulness through a bowl of tea."

He was on Okinawa recently to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa. At a solemn ceremony at Peace Prayer Park in Itoman, he dedicated tea to more than 200,000 people who died in the conflict. Then he sailed a few miles out in the sea to offer tea for fellow kamikaze pilots who perished in the waters.

It's a long way from piloting a flying bomb to the Way of Tea.

In 1943, SEN was conscripted into the Imperial navy. In May 1945, as the Imperial army was pushed to its final defensive positions on southern Okinawa, he was chosen for the kamikaze suicide corps.

He was trained in western Japan, then sent to the southern tip of mainland Japan, where hundreds of kamikaze pilots before him took off on their one-way missions to attack the U.S. fleet.

The name of SEN's plane was "White Chrysanthemum." He spent weeks awaiting an order that never came, watching many of his fellow pilots take off to carry out their missions.

"I lost 262 comrades," he said. "After the war ended, I blamed myself for being alive."

That feeling of indebtedness impelled him to spread the Way of Tea.

"I visited countries all over the world to spread the peace message that a bowl of tea conveys," he said. "Green tea symbolizes nature ... the world is condensed into tea in a small bowl.

"I firmly believe that to strive for lasting world peace, eliminating war ... is a sacred responsibility of those who survived the war."

In 1951, SEN went to Hawaii to attend the University of Hawaii and see the United States, his former enemy.

"I was very impressed to know how big-hearted and friendly American people were," he said. "I became determined to let people in the United States know, through sharing the spirit of the Way of Tea, that Japan is not a belligerent nation."

At first, SEN taught a small group in Hawaii. The group grew, spreading to the U.S. mainland, Europe and throughout the world. He has taught in more than 60 countries.

In 1964, he inherited the title of great master from his father. As grand master in the Urasenke Chado Tradition, he has met with more than 100 international religious and political leaders, including Pope John Paul II, U.N. General-Secretary Kofi Annan and President Bush. His activities continued even after he transferred the title to his son in 2002.

"Despite many barriers, such as customs and education, the nature of human beings is the same," SEN said. He said that the English phrase "after you" is a beautiful example of showing respect and care for others.

"It is the same spirit offered by the Way of Tea," he said.

THIS NATSUME WORK AND CRAFTSMAN

3rd generation Wada Eisai Sumiyoshi Makie Heijube with Pengyunsai Daisou Takumi

Eisai Wada is a Japanese potter from Ishikawa prefecture who was active in the Showa-Heisei era.

The name of Wada Esai started when the first generation, Wada Tamatoki, was founded in Yamanaka-cho, Ishikawa Prefecture, and the second generation was given the title of "Esai" by the Urasenke Iemoto, Tansai. became.

Techniques such as high lacquer work and sharpening are used abundantly, and the whole is a gold powder pool, giving a luxurious finish.

The flow of the river is beautifully expressed by the sharpened lacquer work.

On the back of the lid is a beautiful Kao of Pengyunsai Daisou.

The inside is satin finished and you can enjoy a very beautiful and spectacular view.

It is a box book of Pengyunsai Daisou Takumi.

It is a box with the author.

Dimensions: Diameter 8.5 cm Height 6.5 cm

It is said that gold is the oldest metal discovered by humanity. It can be said that the discovery of the gold that is bright in the river bed and that is particularly visible is a huge discovery in human history. Today, according to the records of archeology and classical times, it is said that human relations with gold come from the East around 4000 BC. It has been appreciated as a symbol of wealth, power and eternal value by its dazzling splendor and rarity. In addition, gold that is excellent for corrosion resistance, does not rust or decompose, is still used in various parts of historic monuments and works of art.

Gold is also the most extensible in metals, and 1 gram of gold can be turned into gold leaf with an area of ​​5,000 square centimeters and a thickness of 0.1 micrometers. The golden leaf of Kanazawa etc. It is famous in Japan.

In jewelry, it is mainly used as an alloy such as gold 18. This purpose is to add strength to the reliability of the high corrosion resistance of gold, mainly silver and copper etc.

This is a Natsume decorated with a scenery of Sumiyoshi in the style of Shishiaitogidashimakie. You can enjoy various expressions of the seanery with its gorgeous gold. "Shishiaitogidasimakie" is a technique which combine "Takamakie" and "togidasimakie." "Natsume" is one of the tea sets. It is used for putting powdered green tea in. "Sumiyoshi" refers to the current area of Sumiyoshi district, Osaka prefecture. This area has good view so this area has been used as utamakura(a place name often used in ancient Japanese poems) in tanka. The god of maritime traffic and the safety and tanka is worshippped by people living in Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine. 

住吉 蒔絵 平棗

住吉 Sumiyoshi 蒔絵 Makie

Sumiyoshi means Sumiyoshi Taisha

蒔絵 means, of course, a picture painted by lacquer from some special tree, and gold powder planted on it while it is still wet. This word 蒔くis a verb meaning "to plant, or scatter"(gold powder)

We are sure of the story behind the Makie. generally they choose good omen for the owner of user of Natsume, for example, pine-trees, bamboo, plumb blossoms signifying peace, strength, and beauty respectively. Also, crane and tortoise are believed to live 1000 years or 10,000years, and often are picked up as good design. And shrine is for protection of Sumiyoshi shrine.

About Sumiyoshi Taisha

One of Japan's most renowned shrines, Sumiyoshi Taisha is the head of approximately 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines throughout Japan. At the beginning of each year, more than 2 million worshippers visit the shrine to pray for health and prosperity in the coming year. Encompassed by natural beauty, the shrine grounds overflow with spiritual spots offering a profound sense of history, such as the Sorihashi arched bridge (Taikobashi) - an emblem of Sumiyoshi Taisha - sacred trees over 1,000 years old, numerous cultural properties, and the main shrine hall, which is a designated national treasure.

History

Around the year 1630, in order to avert the view of the Tokugawa shogunate, which was scared of the power of the Kaga Domain, assets were invested in fine arts and industrial arts to produce peaceful policy. Toshitsune MAEDA, the third-generation lord of the Kaga Domain, actively invited skilled artisans from all parts of Japan to work as teachers. Among these, the skills of Douho IGARASHI, a leading master of maki-e during the Momoyama Period, led to the beginning of Kaga maki-e. Thereafter, the Igarashi school guided pupils under successive generations of feudal lords, pouring its energy into the training of young persons, and thus laying the foundations for Kaga culture. Many famous artisans were produced from the Edo Period through to the Meiji and Taisho Periods, and lacquering technology also advanced throughout this period. Many advanced lacquering techniques blossomed, such as shanome-nuri, and were established as techniques unique to Kanazawa lacqueware. There are few products still existing from the time from the end of the Edo Period through until the Meiji Restoration, due to a decline in handicrafts reputedly caused by economic failure of the Domain. However, the art of Kanazawa lacqueware, which has been handed down over 250 years, was seen in a new light thanks to the economic revitalization that took place after the Second World War.

So about all information, we know that the lacquered arts of Kanazawa begin with the Kaga clan, the Kyoto clan, which emphasized cultural politics at the time. Kanazawa lacquer was initially produced for the furniture on request of the clan who wanted a very refined quality and luxury with elegance. The main characteristic of the Kanazawa lacquer is the splendid and elegant kind of Makie results, a tradition that flows through the Higashiyama culture. Makie's technique is however varied, but albeit in the grace of different styles distinguishes it from everything. It is a combination of two painting techniques, sowing golden dust, and with further painting applications everything is worked with charcoal sharpening. Gold dust is used to give a three-dimensional effect. Artists often use such advanced technologies and with the support of Kanazawa Laquer paints they create heights to give a sense of perspective depending on the design.

Lacquer Kanazawa is not only delicate and bright , but also another unique feature in is often robust and a bit heavy. Naturally such beauty can be understood only with its use.