Sen Genshitsu, the revered 15th grand master of the Urasenke school of Japanese tea ceremony, died on August 14, 2025, at the age of 102. His passing marks the end of a remarkable era for Japanese culture and global diplomacy, as Sen—known in retirement by his honorary name after leading the Urasenke school as Sen Soshitsu XV—dedicated his life to promoting peace, intercultural dialogue, and the spiritual art of tea, or sado, across the world.
Born in Kyoto in 1923, the same year as the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake, Sen was steeped in the traditions of tea from a young age. By six, he had already begun formal lessons in sado, the ancient Japanese tea ceremony that would become both his vocation and his philosophy. His family heritage was formidable: as the eldest son of the 14th Urasenke head, he was destined to inherit a centuries-old legacy.
Sen’s early adulthood, however, was marked by the turbulence of World War II. While studying at Doshisha University, he was drafted into the Imperial Japanese Navy through a student mobilization program. Like many of his generation, he was trained as a kamikaze pilot, a fate that claimed the lives of countless young men. Yet, the war ended before Sen was called to carry out a suicide mission, a twist of fate that would come to deeply influence his outlook on life and peace.
During his military service, Sen maintained his connection to tea, even carrying tea equipment with him to serve farewell tea to fellow trainees before their missions. As reported by Gulf Today, this ritual underscored his belief in the calming, unifying power of tea—a belief that would shape his life’s work. Reflecting on these years, Sen once said, “Serving tea brings peace to everyone. If everyone feels peace, there will be no war.”
After the war, Sen was ordained at Daitokuji temple, the family’s ancestral temple in Kyoto, in 1949. The following year, he was named heir apparent (wakasosho) and began traveling to the United States to introduce the Japanese way of tea to new audiences. His international journey had begun in earnest.
In 1964, following the death of his father, Sen became the 15th iemoto (head) of the Urasenke school. From that moment, he embraced what he called “tea diplomacy”—using the tea ceremony as a bridge for international understanding and peace. His motto, "Peacefulness through a bowl of tea," became a guiding principle that resonated far beyond Japan’s borders. According to The Asahi Shimbun, Sen’s commitment to this philosophy led him to serve tea to dignitaries and royalty, including Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their 1986 visit to Kyoto, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and former Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Sen’s peace ceremonies were held at some of the world’s most symbolic sites. He conducted prayer tea ceremonies at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the U.S. Congress in Washington, Vatican City, and, poignantly, at the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii—the site of the attack that drew the United States into World War II. In 2011, he offered tea there to honor the victims of the December 7, 1941, attack, a gesture that embodied reconciliation and remembrance.
His dedication to sado and peace was not merely symbolic. Over his lifetime, Sen performed tea ceremonies more than 300 times in at least 70 countries, establishing Urasenke branches overseas and delivering lectures at universities around the globe, including the University of Hawaii. Even after turning 100 in June 2023, he traveled to Sydney, Australia, to hold a tea ceremony offering, demonstrating a vigor that earned him the nickname “Flying Grand Master” for his relentless travel and advocacy schedule.
Sen’s influence extended beyond ceremonies. As Jiji Press details, he worked tirelessly to modernize and deepen the traditional tea ceremony, holding teaching sessions at universities worldwide and forging close relationships with global leaders such as South Korea’s Kim Dae-jung and Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi. He greeted Britain’s Prince William with tea during a royal visit to Japan, further cementing the cultural bridge he built between East and West.
Throughout his life, Sen received numerous accolades recognizing his contributions to culture and peace. In 1997, he became the first person from the tea ceremony world to receive the Order of Culture, Japan’s highest cultural honor. France awarded him the Commandeur of the Legion of Honor in 2020, its most prestigious order of merit. He also served as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, tirelessly advocating for education, heritage, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Sen’s philosophy of sado was rooted in the notion of spiritual interaction and exchange—a shared experience between host and guest that fosters peace, goodwill, and happiness. He described sado as engaging all the senses, creating an occasion for aesthetic, intellectual, and physical enjoyment, as well as mental clarity. As Gulf Today explains, this approach transforms the world around participants, offering a glimpse of true happiness and harmony.
Sen’s literary contributions were equally significant. He authored numerous works on the spirit and history of tea, including “The Japanese Way of Tea: From Its Origins in China to Sen Rikyu,” helping to document and share the philosophy that guided his life. His writings offered insight into how ancient rituals could serve as a modern force for peace and mutual understanding.
His impact did not go unnoticed by world leaders. Upon his passing, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid tribute, describing Sen as “a symbol of intercultural understanding and a model of pride in heritage.” The president lauded Sen’s steadfast advocacy for peace through education and cross-cultural dialogue, noting that “by sharing his message with others in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, Dr. Sen remained an important voice in the pursuit of harmony among humankind.”
Even after retiring as grand master in 2002 and passing the iemoto position to his eldest son, Sen remained active in cultural and government advisory roles, holding more than 100 such positions and delivering speeches that sometimes lasted over an hour—well into his centenarian years, as reported by Yomiuri Shimbun. His energy and commitment never waned, and his presence was felt in every corner of the world where tea could be poured and peace could be contemplated.
Sen Genshitsu’s passing is deeply felt not only in Japan but across the globe. His life stands as a testament to the enduring power of tradition, the importance of intercultural understanding, and the simple, profound act of sharing a bowl of tea. Through his actions and words, he showed that even the most ancient customs can serve as a living force for peace in the modern world.
