It was 10thof April. This splendid tea party was held at Senseian in Kyoto. The garden was filled with full bloomed cherry blossoms. It was in the first flush of spring. The headmaster happened to meet Mr. Lyu Hong Jun at the exhibition of Shosouin in Nara and they then planned to hold this tea gathering. Mr. Ryu Hong Jun is a world renowned musical composer and player. He composed music for the movie of �gLast Emperor�h and several programs for NHK. He is also well-known as the musical director of Tenpyo Gafu. He has been engaged in the restoration of classical musical instruments which have been preserved in the storehouse(Shousoin) of Toudaiji temple for about 1200years. Tenpyou Gafu is the indoor Orchestra Ensemble which plays these restored musical instruments. By coincidence Mr. Ryu Hong Jun gave headmaster a copy of a restored musical instrument, Syakuhachi, a vertical flute with elaborately engraved patterns. The headmaster decided to hold the tea party in order to introduce this beautiful vertical flute to everybody. It was the day of the tea party. We were waiting for the guests to arrive. In the garden, beautiful petals of cherry blossom in full bloom were swinging in the breeze. Some of the expected guests were individuals who were from Nara. Others had a passion for music. Before the tea party began, Prof. Yoneda Yusuke of Hiroshima Prefectural Women�fs University, and ex-director of the office of Shousoin, made a lecture on the musical instruments in Shousouin. After the professor gave his lecture, Mr. Ryu Hong Jun played the Shakuhati(vertical flute). It sounded different from the present Shakuhati. It sounded austere and created a feeling of lonliness.

After the presentation, while playing a classical flute which he had brought with him, he chuckled and said �gl need more training�h. He played many different kinds of classical flutes involving the stony flute, which looks like the Japanese Syou, and another, which looks like a present Pan-flute. Each flute he played filled the room with traditional sounds that are rare in present ?day Japan. After Mr. Jon�fs mini concert all og the guests moved to the tea room on the second floor and savored the tastes of Gyokuro tea along with Kikyoku rituals. It was some of guests first experience to appreciate tea at Ogawa School. It seemed that these guests were just impressed with the sweet tea of Ogawa School as they were by the music performed by Mr. Ryu Hong Jun.

To conclude the days events, Ms. Kataoka Risa, Japanese musical instrument Koto player, who was accompanied by Mr. Ooi Tokuzo, a director of culture department of NHK, played Koto after the tea ceremony. She played the Koto beautifully, and onece again brought us back to traditional Japan. In 2001,She became the youngest woman to win the Rookie of the year award at culuture and art festival at the youngest age. With a voice full of life She sung a song entitled �ghamamomenn �gwritten by famous Japanese composer �gMiyagi Michio�h. She played Koto with elaborate fingering. She and Mr. Ryu �gjammed�h without previous arrangement. The way they were able to blend the sounds of the classical flute and Koto without practice impressed everyone. It was easy to see the immense musical talent that they both posses.

During the evening, all of the guests, who were intoxicated with beautiful music moved to the next room for the dinner. It was catered by the famous Japanese restraint�hShimogamo charyo�h. Everyone was ecstatic, savoring the taste of dinner and sake until late in the beautiful spring evening.