Midorikai Timeline

1964

Establishment of New York office

1966

Establishment of Hawaii office

1970

  • July 5. Seichu Enno Mugenki Memorial: Duane Feasel, Laura Watanuki, Pamela Osborn, Michael Birch, Toshiko Shiozaki present kagetsu in Totsutotsusai.
  • Duane Feasel is dispatched to New York as resident tea instructor
  • Chanoyu Quarterly begins publishing

1971

  • Midorikai invited to attend chakai commemorating renovation of the Sanmon (monumental gate) of Daitokuji

1972

  • Daisosho establishes the Urasenke Scholarship for chapter (now called Association) students, and the Soshitsu Sen XV Scholarship for University of Hawaii students

1973

  • March 28. Rikyuki Memorial: John McGee, Girma Belachew, James King, Gertrude Hori, Lynette King present kagetsu in Totsutotsusai.
  • Daisosho officially approves Midorikai as a three-year program.
  • April. Ronald Nado enters the Urasenke Gakuen (graduated March 1976)

1975

  • March 28. Rikyuki Memorial: Michael Kane, Christy Bartlett, Bonnie Mitchell, Girma Belachew, Charles Santon offer sumitsuki kagetsu in Totsutotsusai
  • October. Twenty-two Midorikai students attend study tour to Kanazawa, visiting Ohi kiln, Miyazaki Kanchi kettle maker, etc., with Hounsai Oiemoto.
  • November 19. Sotanki Memorial: Michael Birch, John Freeman, Girma Belachew, Len Nuvoloni, John McGee present Ichi-ni-san in Totsutotsusai
  • Urasenke English language newsletter begins

1976

  • April. Michael Birch Soei is appointed to be resident tea instructor in London
  • April. Ronald Nado graduates from Urasenke Gakuen Chado Semmon Gakko, the first non-Japanese to finish the three-year program.
  • April. Michael Kane enters the Urasenke Gakuen Chado Semmon Gakko
  • May. Dr. Betty Winchester studies with Midorikai in preparation for teaching the first full-credit course on chanoyu in the History Department, University of Hawaii
  • July 5. Seichu Enno Mugenki Memorial: Christy Bartlett, Scott Rogers, Sheila Walters, Judy Clancy, Girma Belachew present shaza no shiki in Totsutotsusai
  • September. Midorikai invited to pay respects at the 13th Memorial services for Tantansai Mugensai Sekiso
  • November 19. Sotanki Memorial: Eric Messersmith, Bonnie Mitchel, Len Nuvoloni, Helen Szaday, Cynthia Onishi present hirakagetsu in Totsutotsusai
  • Allan Palmer dispatched to Boston as resident tea instructor

1977

  • February 1. Hounsai Oiemoto invites Midorikai to present chakai for Toinkai at the Toinseki
  • Midorikai officially recognized as the Special Foreign Students Division of the Urasenke Gakuen Chado Senmon Gakko
  • April. Michael Kane graduates from Urasenke Chado Semmon Gakko
  • April. Christy Bartlett enters the Urasenke Chado Semmon Gakkuen
  • July. Leonard Nuvoloni and Scott Rodgers participate in the 2nd Urasenke Youth Cruise which traveled to Okinawa and Hong Kong
  • Michael Kane, Christy Bartlett, Bonnie Mitchell, Ron Nado, Sheila Walters present shaza no shiki at the Tankokai Kanto Regional Convention in NHK Hall