Event Date: August 9-11, 2019
ワシントンDC ナショナルプレスクラブで表千家不審菴（京都）から来米した伊藤善夫
宗匠と熊倉岐晃講師を迎えて、８月９日（金）〜１１日（日）の間第９回目になる講習
会が開催された。表千家同門会米国東部支部会員約６０名が、地元ワシントンDC地区
以外は、ニューヨーク・メトロポリタン地区、フロリダ地区、フィラデルフィア特別地
区、シアトル特別地区からはるばる参加した。
この講習会は、地球の反対側にいて日本とは違う環境の中で茶の湯の伝統を守り引き継
ぐのは大変ながら、日頃いろいろ工夫・努力を重ねアメリカの東部で表千家のお茶の指
導・修行をしている教授者・資格者、そして一般の会員にとって、年に一度不審菴の現
在に生きる伝統に直接触れ、段階に応じた指導が受けられるまたとない機会になってい
る。今回も伊藤宗匠と熊倉講師から本などでは得られない貴重なお話をたくさんお聞き
でき学ぶところの多いものであった。
また、碌々斎についての講義では、幕末から明治に変わった激動の時期に生きた十一代
家元が、茶道界全体の衰退に直面しまず地方行脚に出て数寄者の元を訪ねることから始
め、支援を更に当時勃興し始めた産業界からも得ながら、時代の変化に応じて広く世間
で受け入れられる茶の湯の復興に大きな役割を果たしたことを、刊行された冊子「碌々
」を踏まえ分かりやすく説明された。
それと重ね合わせるように、現在の日本の生活習慣の大きな変化で茶の湯の根底が無く
なっているとの認識のもと、米国においてもこのままでは茶の湯が消滅する状況下、こ
こで根付く茶の湯を工夫し試みることの重要性を説かれたことが印象的であった。
The Omotesenke Domonkai Eastern Region USA was privileged to have the
attendance of Yoshio Itoh Sōshō and Michiteru Kumakura Kōshi of Omotesenke
Fushin’an in Kyoto at its 9 th Annual Workshop. The event was held at the National Press
Club in Washington DC, and approximately 60 Domonkai members not only from
Washington but also from the New York Metropolitan, Florida, Philadelphia, and Seattle
districts attended.
Once a year, this event provides a unique opportunity for our teachers and certificate
holders as well as our general membership to receive, at their respective levels, training
in the Fushin’an traditions and how they are kept alive in the changing contemporary
world. We struggle with maintaining the traditions of Chanoyu here on the other side of
the world and in a very different environment from Japan, creatively trying to use the
resources we have to practice and introduce the Omotesenke way of tea in the U.S.
This year we were again fortunate to learn directly from Itoh Sōshō and Kumakura
Kōshi many valuable lessons not available through books.
The Sōshō’s lecture was about Rokurokusai and accompanied by a publication titled
“Rokuroku.” Together they provided an easy to understand explanation of how this 11 th
generation Iemoto, who lived during the turbulent transitional period at the end of the
Edo and beginning of the Meiji era, was able to restore interest in Chanoyu in the face
of a declining interest in the world of tea. Rokurokusai set out on foot around the country
first visiting several connoisseurs of tea and its related arts in their home territories to
revive their interest and deepen ties with them. He then went on to gain support from
successful business leaders in the rapidly rising industrial world.
Considering that due to changes in the Japanese lifestyle Chanoyu is also at risk in
Japan today, it is important to recognize that the same may be even more true here in
the U.S. unless we think and act innovatively. We thus left the event strongly
encouraged to explore ways to keep Chanoyu alive here in the U.S.
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