The following is from a series of columns titled "There is a Saint in the Tea Ceremony," which appeared in today's Sankei Shimbun under the title "The Essence of Japanese Harmony as Known by the World's Best."
Reading this article reminded me of some chapters I have published.
I sent out a few chapters from those columns in the previous section.
(Emphasis in the text except for the headline is mine.
The spirit of chanoyu, which Sen no Rikyu developed into a great masterpiece, attracts foreign business circles.
Oracle Corporation Japan, a foreign IT company, has installed a tea ceremony room and a Japanese garden on the top floor of its headquarters building in Aoyama, Tokyo, to embody this spirituality.
Stepping onto the cobblestone pavement leading to the tea ceremony room, one finds a world of silence apart from the noisy city center, with the only sound coming from the water falling into a water fountain.
The only sound is the sound of water falling into the water bowl.
Before the spread of the new coronavirus, foreign business partners and others in the tea ceremony room were amazed by sight.
The teahouse has served as the setting for many important business meetings, leading to business successes.
When the company's building was constructed in 2008, it was set up at the behest of Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle Corporation of America, who has a deep knowledge of Japanese culture.
Kazuya Seya, director of Oracle Japan, said, "We also make full use of the facility as a place for employees to learn about the spirit of hospitality. The natural moss in the garden is always kept in good condition, so it is not a case of building a box and calling it a day."
In the tea room, the owner and guests face each other at the same eye level and talk about various things over a tea bowl.
The Enshu style, which advocates "beautiful Sabi" that adds beauty, brightness, and richness to the spirit of wabi-sabi, was born in the early Edo period after Rikyu's death.
Its founder, Enshu Kobori, studied under Oribe Furuta, a military commander and disciple of Rikyu.
"Enshu's teachings are the basis of today's tea ceremony, emphasizing consideration and hospitality," Mr. Sojitu explained.
Ellison, who liked Katsura Rikyu (Kyoto City), which shows the influence of Enshu, also a gardener, requested that Oracle Japan become involved in the tea ceremony.
The late Stephen Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc. in the U.S., was also fascinated by the spirituality of the tea ceremony.
Products created by Mr. Jobs, such as the iPhone, a fusion of the telephone and personal computer, overturned the world's conventional wisdom and changed people's lives.
The spirit of the tea ceremony, Zen, is reflected in Mr. Jobs's statement that "sophistication leads to brevity."
As a young man, Mr. Jobs' encounter with Zen greatly influenced his philosophy and sense of beauty. For example, there is an episode in which he attempted to become a priest at Eiheiji Temple in Fukui Prefecture.
What is the essence of chanoyu that captures the hearts of overseas business people?
This article continues.
Reading this article reminded me of some chapters I have published.
I sent out a few chapters from those columns in the previous section.
(Emphasis in the text except for the headline is mine.
The spirit of chanoyu, which Sen no Rikyu developed into a great masterpiece, attracts foreign business circles.
Oracle Corporation Japan, a foreign IT company, has installed a tea ceremony room and a Japanese garden on the top floor of its headquarters building in Aoyama, Tokyo, to embody this spirituality.
Stepping onto the cobblestone pavement leading to the tea ceremony room, one finds a world of silence apart from the noisy city center, with the only sound coming from the water falling into a water fountain.
The only sound is the sound of water falling into the water bowl.
Before the spread of the new coronavirus, foreign business partners and others in the tea ceremony room were amazed by sight.
The teahouse has served as the setting for many important business meetings, leading to business successes.
When the company's building was constructed in 2008, it was set up at the behest of Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle Corporation of America, who has a deep knowledge of Japanese culture.
Kazuya Seya, director of Oracle Japan, said, "We also make full use of the facility as a place for employees to learn about the spirit of hospitality. The natural moss in the garden is always kept in good condition, so it is not a case of building a box and calling it a day."
In the tea room, the owner and guests face each other at the same eye level and talk about various things over a tea bowl.
The Enshu style, which advocates "beautiful Sabi" that adds beauty, brightness, and richness to the spirit of wabi-sabi, was born in the early Edo period after Rikyu's death.
Its founder, Enshu Kobori, studied under Oribe Furuta, a military commander and disciple of Rikyu.
"Enshu's teachings are the basis of today's tea ceremony, emphasizing consideration and hospitality," Mr. Sojitu explained.
Ellison, who liked Katsura Rikyu (Kyoto City), which shows the influence of Enshu, also a gardener, requested that Oracle Japan become involved in the tea ceremony.
The late Stephen Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc. in the U.S., was also fascinated by the spirituality of the tea ceremony.
Products created by Mr. Jobs, such as the iPhone, a fusion of the telephone and personal computer, overturned the world's conventional wisdom and changed people's lives.
The spirit of the tea ceremony, Zen, is reflected in Mr. Jobs's statement that "sophistication leads to brevity."
As a young man, Mr. Jobs' encounter with Zen greatly influenced his philosophy and sense of beauty. For example, there is an episode in which he attempted to become a priest at Eiheiji Temple in Fukui Prefecture.
What is the essence of chanoyu that captures the hearts of overseas business people?
This article continues.
