I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Genshitsu Sen; the most remarkable man that I have ever met. He had the ability to walk in a room and his presence would immediately grab the eyes of every individual there. While it takes little research to be able to understand how remarkable Dr. Sen was within his 102 years; somehow I feel that all of his innumerable accolades can’t possibly define quite how great he was. There are many people around the world that call for world peace, but there are not many people that actually take the necessary actions to reach it. Dr. Sen on the other hand, dedicated his life to spreading his message of peace throughout the world; and he constantly took action to do his part in trying to help our world progress toward such a great goal.
When I was taking the practicum course at UH, I often heard of Dr. Sen, Hōunsai Daisosho, who (at the time) was turning 100 years old, and because of him we have a beautiful tea house (Jakuan) and garden located on our campus.
When I became a member of the UH Way of Tea Club, I had the great honor of being able to interact with Dr. Sen multiple times within a year. Something that you can’t understand about him just by reading his accomplishments is the great presence that he had. It was as if you could see his soul illuminated in his eyes. Every movement that he made, every word that he said, everything he did was with such passion and purpose; you could tell that he had liven such a life that he was able to be his true genuine self. While doing temae (点前), you must have intention with every movement you make; and it was clear to see that Dr. Sen had intention with every single thing that he did in life.
In the tea room, every individual leaves their status behind and enters the room as an equal; but Dr. Sen took this mentality with him everywhere he went by showing the utmost respect to every individual he would interact with.
This is the life of a true tea practitioner, to take what is learned in the tea room and put it into daily practice. He was the ultimate role model for any tea practitioner, and really any other human being. I try my best to follow his example and live my life with purpose; this helps me with anything that I do.
While being in Hawaiʻi, I was able to meet him as Dr. Sen, but here in Kyoto, he is known more commonly as Daisosho. Or more formally, Hōunsai Sen Genshitsu Daisosho-sama. Here, everyone knows who he is and his status. While in Hawaiʻi, he was able to go some places and not be recognized. Everyone here understands the significance of who Daisosho is, and it makes me feel so fortunate to have found my passion for Tea through UH and the class that Ono-Sensei teaches.
At UH, I have been able to have many opportunities that are unattainable anywhere else. At UH we are so fortunate to have been able to see Dr. Sen in-person, and we even hosted him for tea at Jakuan annually. For the first chakai (茶会) that I helped with as a Tea Club member, we hosted Dr. Sen during the Hawaiʻi Summer Seminar. The opportunity to host the former Grand Master is something that many tea people in Japan and around the world would love to have, but at UH we got to host him every year. And every time he would create a comfortable atmosphere for everyone there. One of the pillar principles of chadō is Wa (和), or harmony. For there to be harmony within the tea room then the host and guest must understand each other’s role and be able to act as if they share one spirit. When the guest has a mindset where he is taking into account everything the host does, and the host does the same, within this there is a mutual respect, and then there is harmony.
When Dr. Sen would travel around the globe he would talk about these principles: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. It was clear that he lived his life by these key principles, and if the rest of the world could follow the example that he led, then someday world peace could be attainable. While the world lost an incredible role model, Dr. Sen’s message will live on, and world peace can be achieved through one bowl of tea.
A personal essay from 2024 UH graduate Justin Peterson. Reprinted with permission.
Editorʻs note: Dr. Genshitsu Sen, a former WWII kamikaze pilot trainee and 15th-generation Grand Master of the Urasenke School of Tea, died last week at age 102.
In the early 1950s, he visited Hawaiʻi and studied at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Over the years, he made several contributions to the university, including the donation of Jakuan tea house, the establishment of the Sen Chair in the History Department and the Sen International Way of Tea Center within UHʻs Center for Japan Studies.
Mark Levin, director of UH’s Center for Japan Studies, told Aloha State Daily Monday, "Weʻll miss him. ... For someone in their 100s, he was in astonishing mental and physical shape."
Levin described Dr. Sen as "tall and strapping," "gregarious and lively," and "vigorous, outgoing and active."
"He would give face time and lectures to the students, encouraging them in their studies," he said.
"The Way of Tea is not just a beverage, right?" Levin said. "Itʻs the way of culture and it impacts on Japanese music, architecture, food, design, art, etc. And so, the local community here took interest."
“When we take a bowl of tea in our hands, we give gratitude that we are the beneficiaries of many kindnesses,” Dr. Sen once wrote. “Through chadō, we realize the mutual dependence of our existence.”
Read more about Dr. Senʻs life and impact here.
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