Interviews

1. Introduction to the Tea Ceremony (Japanese)

2. Featured in a movie: "Japanese War Bride" (Japanese)

3. Tea at the San Francisco Peace Treaty (Japanese)

4. Passing on the motto of the Way of Tea into the next generation (Japanese)

5. The hand-made Tea house (Japanese)

6. Recognition as a National Living Treasure (Japanese)

Sosei Matsumoto

(1916-2019) Master of chado.

Recognition as a National Living Treasure (Japanese)

(Japanese) I think it was around 1994. What's it called... "National Heritage"? I never imagined I would have the opportunity to introduce Tea to the people of Washington DC. But America is so gracious. They arranged everything, from hotels and whatnot, for about a week's stay for me, my students, and others who also came, like Robert Hori, etc. So we went to Washington DC, and it was as if I were in a dream; I spoke about anything and everything related to Japan, and I later performed the Tea Ceremony. That was such a wonderful thing, for Washington DC to give me a chance to introduce the Japanese cultural tradition of the Way of Tea. Of course, none of this could have been possible without the support of everyone involved. Afterward, when the First Lady, Mrs. Clinton, handed me the plaque, she thanked me and said that "America is a very new country," and she was grateful that I was "teaching college students about such a beautiful cultural tradition from Japan," and that I had "planted wonderful seeds for the students". What a wonderful person, Mrs. Clinton... I received so much love from her. So that was another surreal experience for me. Having the opportunity to introduce the Japanese Way of Tea in Washington DC was an unexpected delight. The fact that I—little old me—was able to introduce a part of the Japanese culture to the people of Washington DC... there is truly nothing more that I could ask for.

Hilary Clinton tea ceremony Washington, D.C.

Date: December 19, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Nancy Araki

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Sosei Matsumoto was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 21, 1916, but grew up both in Japan and in Los Angeles, California, where she spent her teenage years. She began studying Chado, or the way of tea, and moved to Kyoto, Japan to train in the Urasenke School of Chado under its grand masters. After the war, she returned to the United States with interest in popularizing tea in America. This proved difficult at first, as the Japanese American community was still struggling from experiences of World War II and internment. However, her knowledge and dedication helped to gain interest and she has been considered the authority for Chado in the United States and has appeared in exhibitions, in film and TV. She has taught over 3000 students, including about 300 who have gone on to teach Chado themselves.

She has received several honors, including the highest teaching certificate, giving her the title of Meiyo Shan (Honored Master) from the Urasenke School of Chado, the Fifth Order of the Merit (The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays) from the Emperor of Japan in November 1990 for her lifelong service to preserving Japanese culture, and the prestigious U.S. National Heritage Fellowship in 1994 – awarded to the nation’s most accomplished artists who have worked to preserve, shape and share cultural traditions.

She passed away in February 2019 at age 103. (March 2019)