Martin Lucas, Chair of the Media Studies Department at Hunter College, arranges each year for space at Hunter College for us to conduct a workshops for students in conjunction with a visit to Urasenke Chanoyu Center where students and hibakusha share in one of Japan’s most special traditions: tea ceremony. In May, 2010 Students from Jamaica High School, Queens joined hibakusha Kunihiko Bonkohara, Hirosi Iso, Keiko Murakami, Shigeko Sasamori, Setsuko Thurlow, Michiko Tsukamoto and Takahisa Yamomoto.  Because students had traveled several hours by public transportation before they arrived, first to Jamaica High from their homes and then from the school to Hunter College, we began the day with a mediation to relax everyone and to get into the spirit of tea – harmony, tranquility, purity and respect.

Shigeko Sasamori introduces herself to each student, May, 2010
Kunihiko Bonkohara, Keiko Murakami & Takahisa Yamamoto
The group shares in meditation, May, 2010
The group meditates.
Kunihiko Bonkohara meditates with the group, May, 2010
Kathleen Sullivan and Robert Croonquist lead a meditation at the beginning of the workshop, May, 2010
Robert Croonquist begins the day’s workshop, May, 2010
Michiko Tsukamoto and Kathleen Sullivan lead the group in a popular American song whose words were adapted to fit the occasion, May, 2010
Hirosi Iso gives gifts to Jamaica High School, May, 2010
Youth Arts New York board member Sandy Parker and her husband Jody listen to Setsuko Thurlow, May, 2010
Students are deeply moved by what they hear, May, 2010
Students listen as Keiko Murakami tells her story, May, 2010
Going from venue to venue, often three or four a day, is not easy. Setsuko Thurlow and Hirosi Iso, 2010
A student listens to Hirosi Iso, 2010

Photos by Janis Lewin, © 2013 all rights reserved

Return To Janis’ Gallery