THE JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY GROUP OF GREATER BOSTON IN 1956, THE URASENKE BOSTON CHAPTER WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE LATE MINORU HORIUCHI, DMD AS ITS FIRST PRESIDENT. ONLY THREE YEARS LATER, IN 1959, KYOTO BECAME BOSTON'S FIRST SISTER CITY, AND IN A GENEROUS GESTURE OF FRIENDSHIP, KYOTO DONATED AN AUTHENTIC KYOTO-STYLE JAPANESE TOWNHOUSE (KYOMACHIYA) TO THE BOSTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. TODAY, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HONORS THIS CONNECTION BY GRANTING THE CHADO URASENKE TANKOKAI BOSTON ASSOCIATION (FORMERLY THE URASENKE BOSTON CHAPTER) SPECIAL ACCESS TO THE TOWNHOUSE TO GIVE INTRODUCTORY DEMONSTRATIONS FOR VISITORS AND ALSO HOLD CHADO PRACTICE SESSIONS. BOSTON'S LONG HISTORY OF PROMOTING AND PROTECTING JAPANESE TRADITIONAL ARTS MADE IT A NATURAL CHOICE FOR THE LOCATION OF AN URASENKE CHAPTER. NEW ENGLAND'S STRONG TRADITION OF SAILING AND TRADE THROUGH THE 19TH CENTURY HELPED TO MAKE BOSTON AN EARLY CENTER OF IMPORTED ARTS AND GOODS FROM JAPAN. NEW ENGLANDERS WILLIAM STURGIS BIGELOW, EDWARD S. MOR