When Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN of Finland was in Japan June 7-11, 2008, among the first things on his busy schedule was to visit Urasenke Konnichian, Kyoto. The visit was in the morning of June 8. Those accompanying him included Finnish Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esko HAMILO, Ambassador Jorma JULIN of the Embassy of Finland in Japan, and Ambassador HONDA Hitoshi of the Japanese Embassy in Finland. Urasenke Daisosho SEN Genshitsu is president of the Kansai Japan-Finland Society, and through this connection Urasenke has sponsored many Midorikai scholarship students from Finland over the years. For the tea hospitality for Prime Minister Vanhanen and party, the two current Midorikai students from Finland served as assistants, carrying the sweets and tea to the guests. The Prime Minister and others asked them many questions about their experiences in Kyoto studying chanoyu. Konnichian deputy tea master (gyotei) TSUCHIMOTO Sokyu performed the tea-making (temae) for the guests, and the main room used was the Hosensai.
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