Shozo Sato
Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato lived an extraordinary 91 years, leaving a long legacy of achievements and accomplishments. His extensive teaching career of Japanese arts and aesthetics touched generations of students, and his productions of kabuki Shakespeare, chado (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (Japanese flower arranging), sumi-e (Japanese ink paintings), and shodo (Japanese calligraphy) continue to be enjoyed in the memory of visitors.
Originally coming to Illinois as a visiting artist-in-residence at Krannert Center in 1964, he recognized the need for cultural arts education to build cultural bridges and committed the rest of his life to teaching in the United States. His tenacity and vision for teaching Japanese arts and culture started the original Japan House at the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign. From a converted Victorian house on Lincoln and California, Japan House continued to thrive and expand into the current building established in 1998 under the direction of Kimiko Gunji.
His generosity and support of the Japan House, along with his wife Alice Ogura Sato and brother-in-law Dr. George Ogura, led to the Ogura- Sato Annex project to build additional teaching space, an accessible tearoom, and much needed storage space. Sensei Sato envisioned the addition of the Ogura-Sato Annex to support the growth of Japan House’s mission. For over 60 years, Japan House has been dedicated to fostering cultural understanding, offering new perspectives, and providing a space where visitors can experience tranquility. We hope his memory can continue to be honored and shared through Japan House and its mission to share traditional Japanese arts and culture.
If you would like to make a gift in memory of Shozo Sato to support the Ogura-Sato Annex, you can do so at go.illinois.edu/give. More about Sato sensei’s life and legacy can be read by visiting go.illinois.edu/shozo.