History
The three houses derive from descendants of , who was active during the period and is the most historically important figure within Japanese tea ceremony. 's hometown was , in the province of (in present-dayHeadmasters ()
All three major schools of Japanese tea ceremony share their first three generations of headmasters, known as the . is their mutual first generation and family founder (), with his adopted son-in-law, as their shared second generation , and 's son, , as their shared third generation . From the fourth generation onwards, the three family lineages divide, with the heads of each family carrying the professional hereditary name used by the successive heads of their respective family. Upon succession to the position of of the family and its school of , the new assumes the professional name of , and is officially referred to as . The current head of the school of tea is , the 16th generation of the family, and is referred to as XVI.Urasenke Foundation
The Urasenke Foundation () is an incorporated foundation originally registered by the Japanese government in 1949, during the era of the 14th generation grand master of . Its stated purpose is to preserve and foster the cultural heritage of , with its activities including the maintenance and management of the estate and cultural assets, and the support of research and public education regarding the study of tea ceremony. Its administrative office, together with that of the Federation, is located within the five story Center building located a short distance west of the historical compound.Center
Research Center
Library
Branches
The Urasenke Tokyo Branch () was originally established in 1957 in Tokyo's ward, moving to its present quarters in the section of Tokyo's ward in 1995. This facility serves as the hub of the activities sponsored by the head house in Japan's capital. Various training courses and special events held at are also held here, for the convenience of participants living in Eastern Japan. The main building contains replicas of the and tea rooms at . The Tokyo Branch is the only branch in Japan. From the mid-1960s onwards, XV () began to dispatch qualified instructors to live overseas and, operating out of Foundation branch offices or liaison offices, to teach the growing numbers of individuals who desired to pursue the practice of . The dates and places to which the teachers were dispatched and thus an branch or liaison office was established were as follows: * 1966, September. Hawaii (Honolulu), and Boston * 1967, September. New York * 1969, August. Rome, Italy * 1972, June. Munich, Germany, when donated a tea house named * 1973, February. Mexico (Mexico City) * 1973, August. Hilo, Hawaii * 1974, March. Brisbane (liaison office), Australia * 1974, November. Peru (Lima) * 1976, April. London, England; Düsseldorf, Germany; and Paris, France * 1976, August. Brazil (São Paulo) * 1980, December. San Francisco, California * 1981, February. Seattle, Washington * 1986, May. Schwarzwald (liaison office; became Freiburg liaison office in 1997, April), Germany * 1991, March. Moscow (liaison office), Russia * 1991, May. Beijing (liaison office; became branch in 1993), China * 1992, August. Tianjin (liaison office), China * 1993, April. Vancouver (liaison office; became branch in 1994), Canada * 1993, August. Sydney, Australia * 1994, September. Washington D.C. * 1997, April. Netherlands (liaison office)Independently registered Foundation corporations
The Urasenke Foundation of Hawaii, headquartered at the Hawaii Branch, was established as a USA registered non-profit corporation in 1976 The Urasenke Tea Ceremony Society, Inc, headquartered at the Center, was established as a USA registered non-profit corporation in 1981, when the New York Branch moved into the newly opened Center, located at 153 East 69th St. in New York. The Foundation of California, headquartered at the San Francisco Branch, was founded as a USA registered non-profit organization in 1994. It is generally known as Foundation San Francisco.Urasenke Tankōkai
The Urasenke Tankōkai (裏千家淡交会) is the membership organization for Urasenke teachers and students. It was initiated in 1940 by the fourteenth-generation head of Urasenke, Tantansai (1893-1964), with the aim of unifying and encouraging the practitioners of Urasenke chadō. In 1953, it was registered by the Ministry of Education and Culture as a not-for-profit incorporated association (''shadan hōjin''). It is now registered as a not-for-profit general incorporated association (''ippan shadan hōjin''). Its official registered name, as such, is Ippan Shadan Hōjin Chadō Urasenke Tankōkai (一般社団法人茶道裏千家淡交会). In English, it is referred to as the Urasenke Tankōkai Federation. Its stated aims are to ensure the standardization of the Urasenke chanoyu rules and tea-making procedures (''temae''), support research, encourage cooperation and exchange among all members, promote the practice of the principles laid down by the grand master, and expand the chadō population around the world. Also, it provides support for the purposes and activities of the Urasenke Foundation. In Japan, the organization is divided into seventeen districts comprising 165 chapters (''shibu'') and 2 sub-chapters (''shisho''). Each district has a liaison council for the Gakkō Chadō (Tea Training in the Educational System) program sponsored by the organization. There are also 167 groups belonging to the organization's Seinenbu, or "Youth Division." These three entities organize seminars, tea gatherings, conventions, and many other activities. The central office, serving to coordinate the programs and activities of all these, is located in the Urasenke Center building at Urasenke headquarters, Kyoto. Twice a year, in the spring and autumn, it calls together a national meeting of chapter presidents, to decide upon general policies and activities. In 1999, the International Division of the Urasenke Foundation was moved under the umbrella of this office, effectively extending the organization to overseas regions. Currently there are 92 official Chadō Urasenke Tankōkai associations spread over 37 countries outside Japan.Gakkō Chadō
Seinenbu
The Urasenke Tankōkai Seinenbu (裏千家淡交会青年部), or Urasenke Tankōkai Youth Division, is an organization for Urasenke chadō enthusiasts under the age of fifty. It was initiated in 1950 by the then Urasenke 15th-generation iemoto-to-be, Sen Sōkō, aiming to muster the combined power of Urasenke's youths toward rebuilding the war-torn nation. Its creed is "Train (修練) in order to better oneself; Serve (奉仕) your community; Friendship (友情) toward the world and among members." At first, the organization was called Seinenkai. This name was changed to Seinenbu in 1963. The organization's first chapters were established inUrasenke Gakuen
The Urasenke Gakuen Chadō Senmon Gakkō (裏千家学園茶道専門学校), or "Urasenke Gakuen Professional College of Chadō," is generally known as the Urasenke Gakuen. It is located on the same neighborhood block as the Urasenke home in Kyoto, and is the only accredited school in Japan specializing in chadō education. It had its start in 1962, as the Urasenke Chadō Kenshūjō (裏千家茶道研修所), or "Urasenke Chadō Training Institute," run by Urasenke's incorporated foundation, Zaidan Hōjin Konnichian (known in English as the Urasenke Foundation). In 1971, its name was changed to "Urasenke Gakuen," and in 1976, its name was changed again, to "Urasenke Gakuen Chadō Senmon Gakkō." In 1983, it had its new start as a registered educational foundation (学校法人), and was formally accredited as a professional college by the Ministry of Education. The number one characteristic of this professional college is that it is a chadō training center directly connected to the Urasenke Iemoto. The current Chairman of the Urasenke Gakuen Educational Foundation, and Principal of the Urasenke Gakuen Professional College, isUrasenke in popular culture
* TheReferences
External links
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