United Nations Secretary-General BAN Ki-Moon and his wife arrived in Tokyo from New York on June 28, 2008, and immediately took a bullet train to Kyoto, beginning a three-nation official visit to East Asia which would also take them to China and their home country, the Republic of Korea, and would culminate in the Secretary-General's participation at the G8 Summit Meeting in Hokkaido in early July. Reaching Kyoto in the late afternoon of June 28, the first thing on their agenda was to visit Konnichian for a bowl of tea as guests of Daisosho SEN Genshitsu, who is Japan-U.N. Goodwill Ambassador. Many foreign and domestic press representatives were on the scene when the couple, accompanied by Ambassador TAKASU Yukio of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the U.N. as well as Chief-of-Protocol KUSUMOTO Yuichi of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others, arrived at the Kabutomon. Daisosho SEN Genshitsu led his guests into the Totsutotsusai, which had in its alcove a scroll reading "Wa-Kei-Sei-Jaku" (Harmony, Respect, Purity, Tranquility). He then prepared tea for them, personally conveying the first bowl to the Secretary-General. Following the tea gathering at Konnichian, Daisosho joined them at a welcoming banquet held for them at the Kyoto State Guest House.
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