The New York branch was created in 1964. Currently, the Urasenke Chanoyu Center is located in an 130 year old landmark building, which originally was constructed as a carriage house. In 1980 Urasenke Chanoyu Center purchased the building with a partner. Prior to that it was the studio of Mark Rothko where he worked and died. The interior of the building was renovated by traditional carpenters from Kyoto, Japan. The centerpiece of the construction includes four tea rooms of various sizes surrounding a garden. All the materials for the construction were imported from Japan. Prior to 1980 the Center was located at 860 UN Plaza. The mission of the Center is Peacefulness through a bowl of tea.

the Urasenke Chado Tradition

Urasenke Konnichian of Kyoto, Japan has nurtured the rich cultural tradition of chanoyu since the early seventeenth century. Zabosai Iemoto, sixteenth generation Grand Tea Master of Urasenke, continues the tradition of his father, now retired as Hounsai Genshitsu, Former Grand Tea Master, in fostering international goodwill through cultural exchange. Over the last fifty years branches have been established in twenty-one cities worldwide. Urasenke has become the largest tradition of Chado both in Japan and around the world. On December 22, 2002, Zabosai SEN Soshitsu XVI succeeded as the sixteenth-generation grand master in the Urasenke line descending directly from SEN Rikyu extending the practice of his forefathers.