[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 108 (Tuesday, July 19, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4673-S4674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      TRIBUTE TO DR. GENSHITSU SEN

 Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I wish to honor the work of Dr. 
Genshitsu Sen, renowned Japanese tea master and humanitarian, who has 
promoted peace and appreciation of the Japanese culture through chado, 
the Japanese Way of Tea. Dr. Sen is the 15th grand tea master of the 
Urasenke School of Tea, which for nearly 500 years has served to 
perpetuate the ancient rite. On March 3, 1951, just 6 years after the 
end of World War II, during which he served in the Japanese Imperial 
Navy, Dr. Sen performed a tea ceremony in Honolulu, HI, the first such 
performance outside of Japan. This auspicious occasion launched Dr. 
Sen's dream of promoting ``peacefulness through a bowl of tea.'' In the 
years that followed, Urasenke chado centers were established in cities 
worldwide, including Washington, DC, New York, London, Paris, Rome, Sao 
Paulo, Dusseldorf, Mexico City, Beijing, and Honolulu.
  Today, in my home State of Hawaii, we celebrate the 60th anniversary 
of Dr. Sen's vision and work to promote

[[Page S4674]]

peace and understanding, with a special tea ceremony performed on a 
sacred American site, the Arizona Memorial. The Memorial is positioned 
above the sunken battleship USS Arizona, the final resting place of 
hundreds of servicemembers killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The 
ceremony is a strong statement supporting the potential for peace 
despite a tragic history.
  Japan is one of America's strongest and most trusted allies and I 
thank Dr. Sen for his work to promote good relations between our two 
countries. I also recognize Soshitsu Sen, the 16th and current grand 
tea master of the Urasenke School. Finally, my thanks to Mrs. Jean 
Ariyoshi, former First Lady of Hawaii, who was instrumental in 
arranging today's historic event at the Arizona Memorial.

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