JTB GOODWILL DONATES TO KCC
The JTB Goodwill Foundation presented a $40,000 check to the University of Hawai‘i Foundation to fund its endowed scholarship that supports aspiring hospitality students enrolled in Kapi‘olani Community College’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific. The presentation was made on a sunny day at the JTB Goodwill Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, held at the Hawaii Prince Golf Club.
Pictured from left to right: Lena Young, board director and treasurer for the JTB Goodwill Foundation; Linh Hoang Poe, senior director of development for Kapi‘olani Community College; and scholarship recipients Jose Zavalia, Micah Davis, and Serey Panha Sok; Hiroyuki “Keith” Kitagawa, former president of the JTB Goodwill Foundation; John Richards, dean of Kapi‘olani Community College; and Tetsuya “Ted” Kubo, president of the JTB Goodwill Foundation.
The JTB Goodwill Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1983 with the purpose “to promote cultural, educational, and athletic exchanges between the people of Hawai‘i and the Pacific nations; to promote friendly relations and a spirit of cooperation; to raise funds for and provide monetary contributions to other charitable and worthy organizations.”
In 2018, the foundation presented the University of Hawai‘i with an endowment scholarship of $35,000 for students pursuing degrees in tourism and hospitality; and in 2019, to Hawai‘i Pacific University with a check for $30,000 for an endowment scholarship.
The Culinary Arts program at Kapi‘olani Community College is designed for students interested in becoming professional cooks, chefs, bakers, pastry chefs, institutional cooks, kitchen managers and those who intend to transfer to a four-year college. The program also offers students the opportunity to apply and practice skills learned in all aspects of the culinary arts in a real-world environment. Graduates have gone on to work in world-renowned cuisine empires such as Alan Wong’s, Roy’s, Halekulani and Disney.
For more information on the JTB Foundation, go to jtb-hawaii.com/en/community/community-goodwill or to kapiolani.hawaii.edu/academics/programs-of-study/culinary-arts-program/ to learn more about the Culinary Arts program at Kapi‘olani Community College.
FIRST TEA OF THE YEAR
On Sunday, Jan. 16, Chadö Urasenke Tankökai Hawaii Association held a virtual Hatsudate Shiki (first tea of the year) at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i’s Seikōan tea room.
Host Hiroko Seno began the event by first welcoming nearly 40 participants — the majority of whom were dressed in kimono — to the virtual gathering. Although she mentioned the association was unable to host the tea ceremony in person again this year, she was grateful that they were able to showcase the ceremony and that many participants were able to partake in the special event virtually. Then a greeting by Dennis Ogawa, president of the Chadö Urasenke Tankökai Hawaii Association, welcomed those who took the time out of their weekend to still enjoy the beautiful tradition of the chadö ceremony and wished everyone a wonderful new year ahead.
The formal ceremony then began as a pre-recorded taping of the Hatsudate Shiki. Tea ceremony participants Hirotaka Satoh and Kayo Watari were first filmed washing their hands in the stone basin within the garden before entering the tea house. Once entered, Seno brought the tea utensils into the room, then carefully prepares the thick tea known as kashin no mukashi, favored by Grand Master Zabousai, by scooping out the boiling hot water with a hishaku (bamboo ladle) from a boiling pot that’s nestled in a ro (sunken hearth). Satoh and Watari took turns sipping carefully from their designated bowls before bowing to their host for the experience.
Seno welcomes Satoh and Watari before stating that she will prepare the traditional hanabira mochi in Mizuya. Since they had to go online again this year, the association ordered the confections from Kyoto for them. Before Satoh and Watari concluded this part of the ceremony, Satoh noticed that the scroll hanging in the tea room matched the color of the tea container. Seno agreed and said that the scroll reads “jusan jushoku kaki komoru,” and was written by Dr. Sen. She then mentioned that, particularly this time of year, the word “jushoku” especially refers to the green of the pine tree. Satoh thanked Seno and mentioned how the image of the green color goes well with the orange hibiscus that was also chosen to decorate the tea room; Seno replied that the flower vase that holds the hibiscus is made of copper and is called the sorori accompanied by the matching sorori tray. Then there was the incense container called the hagoita, shaped after a traditional Japanese badminton racket made by Tozan Wada. Satoh’s main tea bowl, called kouetsu utsushi, was made by Dounen Nakamura.
Next was a 15-minute break of the virtual program, which encouraged virtual participants to prepare their sweets, tea and hot water for a bowl of thin tea at home. The serving of the thin tea for both Satoh and Watari concluded thereafter at the Hiroma tea room location. Host Etsuko Tanaka welcomed Satoh and Watari and thanked them for taking the time out of their busy weekend to enjoy the tea ceremony with them. Satoh bowed and thanked them for their hospitality and for inviting them to join in on the “auspicious occasion.” Decorations brightened the room, such as the scroll in the alcove written and drawn by Tantan-sai, ‘kingyoku mandö.’ The four-letter phrase was from a Chinese philosopher meaning to have an abundance of treasures. Tanaka translated it as having more intellectual values such as education, knowledge and hoping to welcome the new year with a rich and fulfilled mind.
The sweets were then served, which came from the same confectioner as served in the thick tea seating. The bowl served to Satoh was called takarabune (a treasured ship) made by the current generation of Zengorou. Watari was next, and was served a bowl designed with this year’s Chinese zodiac, the tiger. Tanka mentioned that in the previous seating, they were served a confection shaped like a tiger, which more specifically is the year of the “mizunoe tiger,” which are known to be warm and nurturing. She then hoped that the tigers would protect and nurture us throughout 2022.
