A , or simply , is a recessed space in a Japanese-style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed. In English, a could be called an alcove.

History

There are two theories about the predecessor of : the first is that it derives from the room structure of the , which flourished in the

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

(794–1185) and declined in the

Muromachi period The , also known as the , is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate ( or ), which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi ...

(1336–1573); the second is that it derives from the room structure of

Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

monasteries in the

Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

(1185–1333). In the room of the monastery, there was a board called which displayed Buddhist altar fittings such as candlesticks, incense burners and vases. On the wall behind was a hanging scroll with a Buddhist theme. The second theory is that the and the back wall developed into a -style in the Muromachi period. In , an architectural style developed in the Muromachi period, came to be used as room decoration, and the owner of the house sat in front of decorated with various things to meet guests. However, in the case of important guests, the householder, in deference to them, had them sit in front of the .

Characteristics

The items typically displayed in a are calligraphic or pictorial

scrolls A scroll (from the Old French ''escroe'' or ''escroue''), also known as a roll, is a roll of papyrus, parchment, or paper containing writing. Structure A scroll is usually partitioned into pages, which are sometimes separate sheets of papyru ...

and an flower arrangement.

Bonsai Bonsai (; , ) is the Japanese art of Horticulture, growing and shaping miniature trees in containers, with a long documented history of influences and native Japanese development over a thousand years, and with unique aesthetics, cultural hist ...

and are also common—although traditionally, bonsai were not considered worthy for a place of such respect. The and its contents are essential elements of traditional Japanese interior decoration. The

kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...

(床) literally means "floor" or "bed"; (間) means "space" or "room". When seating guests in a Japanese-style room, the correct

etiquette Etiquette ( /ˈɛtikɛt, -kɪt/) can be defined as a set of norms of personal behavior in polite society, usually occurring in the form of an ethical code of the expected and accepted social behaviors that accord with the conventions and ...

is to seat the most important guest closest to the as this is in the location furthest from the entrance, a location called the . Stepping within it is strictly forbidden, except to change the display, when a strict etiquette must be followed. The pillar on one side of the , called , is usually made of wood, specially prepared for the purpose. It can range from a seemingly raw trunk with bark still attached, to a square piece of heart wood with very straight grain. The choice of determines the level of formality for the . American architect

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...

was influenced by Japanese architecture. He translated the meaning of the into its Western counterpart: the

fireplace A fireplace or hearth is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design. ...

.Nute, Kevin (1993). ''Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan''. London: Chapman & Hall. p. 61 This gesture became more of a ceremonial core in his architecture.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Japanese architectural features Japanese home Japanese words and phrases

History

Characteristics

See also

References

Further reading

External links