Japan's grand tea master Sen Genshitsu dies at 102: reports / Photo: TORU YAMANAKA - POOL/AFP/File
-
Arlington sentinel rebukes Pete Hegseth entourage for laughter near memorial
-
Yella Beezy sentenced to life for arranging rapper Mo3’s murder
-
Kylie Jenner employee describes closet ordeal and pepper-spray incident
-
Authorities to identify Montauk Mary and five other Long Island cold-case victims
-
Davante Adams injury deepens Los Angeles Rams receiver shortage
-
Barbie sequel negotiations stall over reported $25 million pay packages
-
João Franco’s earlier post draws attention after arrest over fatal Turkey brawl
-
Bath & Body Works launches buy-one-get-one-free candle offer
-
Alberta Launches $5M Fund for Women’s Neurology Research to Address Gender Gaps
-
Itlu Arjuna receives U/A certificate ahead of theatrical release
-
Dhananjaya de Silva guides Sri Lanka to 221-4 against Pakistan
-
Niraj Kumar earns Los Angeles Olympic quota with 50m rifle bronze
-
Delhi gold loses Rs 800 while silver falls Rs 5,000
-
India extends micro-credit guarantee plan for five years
-
Madlanga Commission Deadline Extended to 2027 Amid Calls for Structural Justice Reform
-
Pradeep Antony, Smeha Manimegalai portray secret spouses in Mr & Mrs Office
-
Zelenskyy arrives in Dublin for meetings on Ukraine and peace efforts
-
Woman barred from every Greggs outlet after series of offences
-
Jury hears social-media image helped identify teen in Scarlett Faulkner case
-
Ketchup packets link suspect to break-in at Eddie Rocket’s restaurant
-
American Airlines passenger falls ill and vomits on three travellers
-
Spain's General Strike Links Housing Crisis to Lost Purchasing Power
-
Euro-Area Inflation Reaches 4% as Energy Prices Jump
-
China's Factory Inflation Accelerates While Consumer Demand Stays Weak
-
US Adds 165,000 Jobs as Unemployment Falls to 4.1%
-
Bank of England Raises Interest Rate to 4% as Energy Risks Intensify
-
Energy Costs Push OECD Inflation Up to 4.5%
-
OPEC Says Oil Output Is Near Prewar Levels Despite Shipping Disruptions
-
China's Trade Surplus Passes $1 Trillion as Technology Exports Surge
-
China's Singles' Day Exposes Persistent Consumer Caution
-
US Inflation Broadens as Fed Officials Consider Faster Rate Hikes
-
Irish police prepare for further hoax bomb threats after hundreds of schools targeted
-
Korea, Singapore and New Zealand Advance Green Trade Pact Talks
-
RBA Inflation Target Origins: Why Australia Chose a Range Over Zero
-
Ireland and Ukraine consider drone cooperation memorandum after Dublin talks
-
Sister recounts fatal machete attack as Irish murder trial continues
-
Georgia refrigeration company sues EPA after five-year HFC reprieve
-
HoloCoder technology promises brighter smartphone images and 3D depth data
-
EU proposes broad consumer safeguards for apps, subscriptions and ticketing
-
Early Black Friday Walking Pad Deals: Urevo and WalkingPad Discounts
-
Nvidia faces scrutiny over alleged Chinese intelligence link to Jensen Huang
-
Radical Numerics develops offline AI tool to detect engineered pathogens
-
Chennai orders inquiry after dogs die at shelter; two veterinarians face action
-
Kiara Advani Reveals Sidharth Malhotra’s Reaction to Toxic Backlash
-
Startup turns Chennai’s history and culture into an interactive world
-
Four firms compete to design Chennai’s model mobility corridors
-
Medical Care Technologies Inc. (OTCID:MDCE) Delivers 270% Net Income Surge in Q3 as Profitability Accelerates
-
Agassi Sports Entertainment Announces Strategic Media Alignment with Sinclair Television Group and Tennis Channel to Expand Racket Sports Reach
-
SMX Targets Global Recycling Challenges With AI-Powered Material Intelligence Platform
-
Ainos Secures Largest Order in Company History: $9 Million ASE Agreement for 5,000 Additional AI Nose Systems
Japan's grand tea master Sen Genshitsu dies at 102: reports
Sen Genshitsu, a would-be kamikaze pilot who became a Japanese tea ceremony master preparing cups of matcha for world leaders and monarchs, died aged 102 on Thursday, reports said.
With a motto of "peacefulness through a bowl of tea", Kyoto-born Sen used ancient "Urasenke" tea tradition rituals to spotlight his anti-war messages.
The United Nations headquarters in New York and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii -- the scene of a devastating Japanese attack that brought the US into World War II -- were among the locations for his ceremonies.
His death was reported by major Japanese media, including the national broadcaster NHK and the top-selling newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.
AFP could not immediately reach the Urasenke school for comment.
Born in 1923, Sen went through training as a young man to become a kamikaze pilot in World War II, but the fighting ended before he had to carry out a suicidal mission.
He later told how he used to serve tea to his fellow soldiers during military training.
In a 2023 interview with NHK, Sen stressed the calming effects of tea culture.
"A bowl of tea makes spirits very peaceful. When everyone is peaceful, there will be no war," he said.
An ordained Zen monk, Sen became the 15th-generation grand master of the Urasenke school in 1964 following the death of his father who had previously headed the tradition.
He offered tea to monarchs and presidents including Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and counted the former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and former Chinese president Hu Jintao as friends.
He said that his wartime experience had helped shape his views on the importance of peace.
In 1997, he received the Order of Culture in Japan and in 2020, he was given the Legion of Honour, France's most prestigious order of merit.
He retired in 2002 as the head of the tea school, passing it to his son, but he remained active up until his death.
Even after he turned 102 in April, he held more than 100 cultural and government advisory positions and gave speeches, including some lasting more than an hour, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
He also worked as a goodwill ambassador for the UN cultural and education agency, UNESCO.
He was known as "Flying Grand Master" for his busy travel schedules.
X.Karnes--AMWN