Conference on Chanoyu

お茶三昧 Ocha Zanmai:

 The 2012 San Francisco International Conference on Chanoyu and Tea Cultures

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Co-sponsored by San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco

in partnership with

The Dilena Takeyama Center for the Study of Japan and Japanese Cultures

Open to the Public

 (18 years of age and above)

9:00-17:30  Keynote Lectures, Presentations, and a Korean Tea Ceremony

San Francisco State University

18:15-21:00 Reception and Banquet

University of San Francisco

This academic conference, which will be held under the joint sponsorship of two universities in the city of San Francisco and the Dilena Takeyama Center for the Study of Japan and Japanese Culture, will be the first ever event of its kind on chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony) and tea culture on the West Coast of the United States.  The research presentations and a special Korean tea ceremony will take place during the morning and afternoon of November 10 at San Francisco State University, in the southwestern corner of the city.  Following the conclusion of this program, the University of San Francisco, a private Jesuit university located just north of Golden Gate Park, will host an evening reception and dinner banquet for conference attendees. 

Two renowned specialists have been invited to give keynote lectures: Dr. Asao Kōzu, widely known for his expertise in the history of tea, and Dr. Tamaki Yano, who has gained universal recognition for his research on Kundaikansouchōki, a text dating from the Muromachi period.  Speaking in Japanese, Dr. Kōzu will present a new perspective on the wabi-cha of Sen no Rikyū, while Dr. Yano will deliver his lecture on the records of famous tea objects in English.  Additional presentations by researchers from Japan and the U.S. will treat topics such as calligraphy scrolls, flower arrangement, bamboo baskets, and various aspects of tea ritual. 

The entire program from morning to evening will be open to the general public.  We strongly encourage anyone with an interest in the topic to attend; you need not be affiliated with a tea school or to have ever participated in a tea ceremony.  Please note that we will limit attendees to ages 18 and above.  We have set aside a Q & A session after each presentation, when speakers and experts will entertain questions and comments from the audience.

To encourage the greatest possible number of attendees, we have set the admission fee at very reasonable $10 ($5 for students) for those who pre-register by October 17, and $20 ($10 students) for on-site registrations. We firmly believe that chanoyu’s spirit of sincerity extending between host and guest can transcend borders and contribute to harmony among people all around the world, thereby promoting world peace.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Midori McKeon                                     Stephen John Roddy                     Jon Funabiki                 

Conference Chair and Organizer        Conference Coordinator                Conference Partner

San Francisco State University           University of San Francisco          Dilena Takeyama Center for the
                                                                                                                              Study of Japan and Japanese Culture           

For further information, please contact mmckeon@... or 415-338-1346.