The Soshitsu Sen Distinguished Lectures on Japanese Culture were established by an endowment of $500,000 from the Urasenke Foundation of Kyoto, Japan. Named in honor of Hounsai Sen Genshitsu, Former Grand Master (Iemoto) Sen Soshitsu XV, of the Urasenke School of Tea, this public lecture series is held annually at Columbia University to increase American awareness and understanding of Japanese culture.

The series began in 1988 with a lecture by Dr. Soshitsu Sen XV entitled "The Heart of Tea." In 1989, the Japanese composer, Takemitsu Toru, presented a lecture "Sound in the East/Sound in the West" which was accompanied by an exhibition of his scores, the first All-Takemitsu concert, a pro-seminar for student composers, and a film series highlighting Takemitsu's music for the cinema. In subsequent years, Sen Lecturers have included Donald Keene, novelists Shiba Ryotaro and Kono Taeko, designer Yokoo Tadanori, and Professor Edwin McClellan of Yale University. In 1993, the Sen Lecture program presented performances of Noh drama featuring the distinguished actors Kanze Hideo and Umewaka Rokuro and sponsored a symposium on Noh theater. In 1996, the program consisted of a major international symposium commemorating the life and work of Abe Kobo. In 1999, writer, photographer and scholar Fosco Maraini spoke on "Japan: The Magic of Mountains", and the 2000 Sen Lecture, "Sitting in a Circle: Thoughts on the Japanese Group Mentality" was presented by the poet Makoto Ooka.

2007	Natsuo Kirino, author (Bio) (Photos)
2006	Genshitsu Sen, tea master (Photos)
2005	Setouchi Jakucho, author and Buddhist nun (Photos)
2004	Beate Sirota Gordon, former director of performing arts at Japan Society and Asia Society (Text) (Photos)
2003	Bunzo Torigoe, scholar of Bunraku and Kabuki (Photos) (Text) (Japanese Text)
2002	Tadashi Suzuki, experimental theater director (Photos) (Text) (Japanese Text)
2001	Burton Watson, translator of Japanese and Chinese works (Photos) (Text)
2000	Makoto Ooka, poet and literary critic (Photos) (Text)
1999	Fosco Maraini, professor, writer, and photographer
1998	Edwin McClellan, professor and translator
1997	Soshitsu Sen XV, Grand Master of Urasenke
1996	Kobo Abe Commemoration (symposium, performances, film series, and exhibitions)
1995	Tadanori Yokoo, graphic designer
1994	Taeko Kono, novelist
1993	Kanze Noh Troupe (performance and symposium)
1991	Ryotaro Shiba, novelist
1990	Donald Keene, professor and translator
1989	Toru Takemitsu, composer
1988	Soshitsu Sen XV, Grand Master of Urasenke

Mrs. Sen, Prof. Keene, Dr. Sen, and Prof. Ruch	Toru Takemitsu, 1989
Noh performance, 1993	Makoto Ooka, 2000