On February 13 (Tue), 2024, Iemoto SEN Sōshitsu, by request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), entertained H.E. Mr. Dennis FRANCIS, President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at Konnichian.

H.E. and his small entourage, all of whom came dressed in Japanese attire, were shown into the Chōfu-no-ma main room within the Heisei Chashitsu, where Iemoto greeted them with words of welcome. They then watched Iemoto arrange flowers in the tokonoma, build the charcoal fire in the sunken hearth, and prepare tea for them.

After the tea-drinking, H.E. Mr. Francis, guided by Iemoto, tried his hand at using the tea whisk and preparing a bowl of tea. He also tried milling some processed leaf-tea into matcha powder using a stone tea-mill.

The visit of H.E. Mr. Francis and party to Konnichian, as chanoyu guests of Iemoto, was limited in time but filled with pleasant experiences.