Mme.Sosei Matsumoto, Eminent Tea Master and Advisor to Urasenke Konnichian and Special Consultant to Urasenke Tankokai Los Angeles Association (UTLAA), passed away on February 22, 2019.
A viewing was held on March.2 at Fukui Mortuary. As a representative of Hounsai Daisosho, Sokei Fushida-Gyotei made a bowl of tea with Bonryaku-Temae to serve Mme. Matsumoto as he expressed gratitude.
On March 3, a funeral service was held at Honpa Hongwanji Los Angeles. Fushida-Gyotei conducted the sacred tea making for Mme. Matsumoto and read a message of condolence on behalf of Hounsai Daisosho.
Mme. Yasuko Koshiyama, who came from Japan for the funeral, introduced Mme. Matsumoto’s glorious history. She served tea at the ceremony of the establishment of the Treaty of San Francisco in 1951, and was invited to give a demonstration at the Olympic Art Festival in Mexico City in 1968.She received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays, from the Emperor of Japan in April 1990 as well as the National Heritage Fellowship award from President Clinton in 1994. Everyone at the funeral service remembered Mme.Matsumoto’s exceptional passion to Chado.
Telegrams of condolence from Zabosai Oiemoto, Honorable Soyu Otani, Honorable Akira Chiba were also read.
After the funeral service, UTLAA served tea for all attendees with Mme. Matsumoto’s favorite Dogu and sweets, Kimishigure.