Ryotaro Matsumura | TEDxTokyo 2014
There are some things about Japan that only become obvious to the Japanese once they leave the country. When Souryou Matsumura was wandering around Europe, he became keenly aware of his ignorance about Japanese culture. As soon as he returned home, he launched himself into the world of Japanese tea ceremony.
After graduating from a school specializing in the Urasenke school of tea ceremony, Matsumura started the Shuhally project with the purpose of making tea ceremony more accessible and enjoyable. He has received high acclaim both nationally and internationally for his use of a creative and original style while also preserving the ceremony’s fundamentals, as set down by tea master Sen no Rikyu.
His tearoom, Bunsai-an (which was given its name by the current Grand Master of the Urasenke Tea School), has also won a Good Design Award. Through these and other activities, Matsumura continues to challenge the stereotypes of traditional Japanese culture.