President mourns death of Japanese 'tea master'

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, mourned the passing away of Japanese “tea master” Dr Sen Genshitsu, describing him as a symbol of intercultural understanding and a model of pride in heritage.

- Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikh Mohamed said, “I extend my deepest condolences over the passing of Dr Sen Genshitsu, who served as a steadfast advocate of peace through education and cross-cultural dialogue. By sharing his message with others in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, Dr Sen remained an important voice in the pursuit of harmony among humankind. May he rest in peace.”

Dr Sen was born in Kyoto, Japan, in 1923. In 1941, he enrolled at Doshisha University, just as Japan was waging war against the United States.

Two years later, he was among 100,000 students drafted to fight.

During this time, Dr Sen trained to become a kamikaze pilot, but the war ended before he could carry out his mission.

Dr Sen's connection to sado — the Japanese tea ceremony — began at the age of six, when he started taking lessons to become a master tea practitioner.

During the war, he carried tea equipment with him and served farewell tea to a group of his fellow trainees before their mission.