Masumi Kirihata
桐畑 真澄 — Host & Licensed Tea Master
A Kyoto native
sharing a city
Masumi Kirihata was born and raised in Kyoto, and graduated from Kyoto University of Foreign Studies with a major in English. Certified as an English Tourist Guide and as a senior Western Calligrapher, Masumi brings a rare breadth of cultural knowledge to each ceremony.
A particular artistic specialty is the blending of Western Calligraphy with Maki-e — the ancient Japanese art of lacquer decoration, considered an important and tangible cultural property of Japan. This synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions mirrors the spirit in which every ceremony at Ju-An is led.
As a practitioner of Chado — the Way of Matcha Tea — Masumi holds certification as an Omotesenke assistant professor under the tea name Soushin, making Masumi an experienced Tea Master from the Omotesenke family tradition, one of the oldest and most respected schools of Japanese tea practice.
- Kyoto University of Foreign Studies — English Major
- Certified English Tourist Guide
- Senior Western Calligrapher
- Omotesenke Licensed Tea Master — Soushin 宗真
Pax Mundi per Linguas
Kyoto University of Foreign Studies motto — “Peace across the World through Languages”
Pax mundi per Tisana Iaponica
Peace to the World through the Japanese Tea Ceremony
Omotesenke School of Tea
表千家講師 宗真
The Omotesenke tradition is one of the three great lineages of Japanese tea practice, tracing its origin directly to the tea master Sen no Rikyu in the 16th century. Masumi holds the rank of assistant professor — Koshi — within this tradition, a formal qualification representing years of dedicated study and practice.
Artwork by Masumi Kirihata
Masumi blends Western Calligraphy with Maki-e — Japanese lacquer art — creating pieces that bridge two distinct artistic traditions. A selection of this work is shown below.
