About HANAKURUSU
Hanakurusu originally refers to one of the family crests of Yukinaga Konishi, a Christian daimyo (feudal lord). Hanakurusu, the company, lies at the crossroads of matcha culture and Christianity. Starting with the Jesuits in the 16th century, tea ceremony and matcha lay at the core of the Christian presence and witness in Japan. Hanakurusu seeks to reclaim this history through guided tours, tea ceremony experiences, and workshops. We are not simply interested showing what lies in the past, but in creating new connections and exploring new ways in which tea and Christianity can intersect and mingle. This is about exploring an authentically Japanese way of being Christian.
Berek Q. Smith
Tea Ceremony Master
Berek Smith was born and reared in Tokyo, Japan. He holds an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando), and a Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is also a tea ceremony master in the Enshu School of Tea and is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. His life work is to explore how God has already been at work in Japanese culture, and to work towards forming a Christianity that is Japanese. He is an associate priest at the Missionary Order of St. Augustine in Mitaka, Tokyo, where he resides with his wife and son.
