On September 9, 2026, WACHA Inc. issued an official press release introducing the artistic journey of Hanasennin, born Nagakazu Kato (1917–1998), and WACHA’s efforts to preserve and pass on the Raku tea bowls held by his family.
Hanasennin was the grandfather of WACHA founder Hanayo Kato. Originally trained as a painter and printmaker, he studied oil painting under Takeji Fujishima at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, now Tokyo University of the Arts, and exhibited copperplate prints with the Japan Print Association.
After the war interrupted his artistic career and destroyed his family home and most of his oil paintings, he settled in Kugenuma, Fujisawa. There, he built a kiln at his home and devoted himself to creating Raku tea bowls. Nearly 1,000 of these bowls are still preserved by his family.
WACHA’s story began with the discovery of this body of work. Rather than preserving the bowls solely as objects to be viewed, WACHA seeks to pass on their legacy through the living experience of preparing matcha, holding the bowl, and tasting tea from it.
On October 24 and 25, 2026, WACHA will present an experiential seminar at JAPAN TEA EXPO 2026 in Asakusa, Tokyo. Participants will compare the same matcha prepared in a standard tea bowl and in one of Hanasennin’s Raku tea bowls.
All seminar sessions are now fully booked. WACHA will also exhibit botanical matcha and tea utensils at Booth C6 on the sixth floor throughout the two-day event.