CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Japan House at the University of Illinois is mourning the loss of its founder and beloved professor emeritus.

The organization announced on Tuesday that Shozo Sato passed away at the age of 91. Sato founded Japan House in 1975, about a decade after first coming to Central Illinois from Japan. He arrived in 1964 as a visiting artist-in-residence for the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and the College of Fine and Applied Arts.

“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,” Japan House wrote. “His tenacity and vision for teaching Japanese arts and culture started the original Japan House at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.”

With the assistance of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Sato converted a university-owned Victorian-era house at Lincoln and California Avenues into Japan House. There, he continued to teach classes on Japanese art and culture and established the tradition of open houses and welcoming the whole community to take part in Japanese culture.

“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,” Japan House said.

Sato retired as Director of Japan House in 1992 and around the same time, the converted home was torn down for campus redevelopment. But the university selected a site near the arboretum to serve as the new home of Japan House, which opened in 1998 and was expanded in 2017. The new addition was named the Ogura-Sato Annex, in honor of Sato, his wife Alice and her brother George and their continued support of Japan House.

“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. Rooted in traditional Japanese aesthetics and arts, Japan House continues to offer students and the broader community a unique opportunity to cultivate a deeper appreciation of diverse cultures,” Japan House said. “Sensei envisioned the addition of the Ogura-Sato Annex to support the growth of Japan House’s mission. His memory will continue through the lives of students and visitors who can be immersed in the study of Japanese arts and culture at Japan House.”