Headmaster Designate of Ikenobo, Senko Ikenobo, Names the Ship

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines,  announced that on December 7, MOL Group company MOL Cruises,  held an event at the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal to commemorate the MITSUI OCEAN FUJI‘s entry into service.

The naming ceremony was held on the “Ocean Stage” onboard the MITSUI OCEAN FUJI, where MOL Cruises President Tsunemichi Mukai and Kim Roger Carlson, the first captain of the MITSUI OCEAN FUJI, delivered speeches wishing for safe voyages and good times for both passengers and crewmembers.

At the highlight of the ceremony, the naming of the cruise ship, which was performed by Senko Ikenobo, the first woman to succeed Ikenobo, the headmaster of the Ikenobo school of flower arrangement with a history of more than 560 years, she named the ship the MITSUI OCEAN FUJI, saying “I hope this cruise ship will sail safely around beautiful Japan and the world for many years to come.” The naming ceremony was followed by the traditional breaking of a barrel of sake.

Ikenobo Senshu, a representative of the Ikenobo Youth Club, decorated the stage with his ikebana, which combined leaves and flowers to express the beauty of nature. The arrangement conveyed hopes for deepening ties and trust, reflecting the flowers and cultures of the various ports of call and the people who live there, and added an extra touch of Japanese beauty to the ceremony.

MOL President & CEO Takeshi Hashimoto and many others were on hand for the naming ceremony to wish “Bon Voyage” to the MITSUI OCEAN FUJI.

In the MOL Group’s “BLUE ACTION 2035” management plan, MOL calls for reforms to create a business portfolio that can maintain profitability even during shipping recessions, and the cruise business is positioned as one of the non-shipping, stable-profit businesses that can counter the volatility of the shipping market. MOL Cruises plans to add new cruise ships in addition to the MITSUI OCEAN FUJI to enhance the MOL Group’s corporate value and realize its vision.

■ Profile of Senko Ikenobo
She is the headmaster designate of the Ikenobo school of flower arrangement, which established its philosophy in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and revered Ono no Imoko as its founder. She assumed the title Senko in 2015. Serving as the chief deputy priest of Shiyunsan Chōhō-ji Temple (Rokkakudō) in Kyoto, she has developed a wide variety of activities based on the spirit of Ikenobo ikebana, which is to make the most of life. Since 2012, she has made pilgrimages to the 33 temples in the western part of Japan to offer flowers to the spirits of those afflicted by disasters and to pray for people’s happiness and peace. Also serves as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Iceland.