The tea ceremony house is hidden away in a corner of the luscious garden, and the ‘tokonoma’ of the house is certainly one of the special features of the temple. The ‘tokonoma’ can be found in most traditional Japanese-style homes. It is floored with ‘tatami’ straw mats and acts as an alcove-type reception parlor for guests.
It is floored with ‘tatami’ straw mats and acts as an alcove-type reception parlor for guests. Yet it is the structure and framework that my eyes are drawn to; the pillars and the flooring. Yes, it’s true – you’ll probably see just the same things in every other temple teahouse, but spotting the delicate differences makes for some wonderful discoveries.
