On May 6, 2002, during the so-called Golden Week filled with national holidays, Grand Master SEN Soshitsu XV
was special speaker at the Foreign Cultural Arts Exchange Festival held at the International House, Osaka.
The Festival, sponsored by the Executive Committee for Foreign Cultural Arts Exchange and co-sponsored by
Urasenke, was a commemorative event for the Year of Japan-ROK National Exchange in 2002 organized as a means
to further develop the friendship bonds between Japan and the Republic of Korea on the occasion of
this year's historic FIFA World Cup Soccer Championship Games co-sponsored by the two nations. Approximately
1,300 people came to hear Grand Master Sen's talk, which was entitled "Cha no Kokoro" (The Tea Spirit), and
to attend the other activities on the Festival program. Among the attendees were representatives from the
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Osaka, Urasenke Tankokai members living in the Kinki Region, as well as
many members of the Korean community and regular Japanese citizens. In his talk, Grand Master Sen stressed
the importance of exchange between Japan and the ROK. In closing, he urged that everyone join in the spirit
that "mankind is one" and together create a big tide of Peace.
At the Festival, there were also demonstrations of the Japanese Way of Tea sponsored by
Urasenke, and demonstrations of the Korai (Korean) Way of Tea.
|
