Home - Tales of a Sukiya Daiku
The introduction and development of tea to Japanese society over the last 500 years or so has left a cultural legacy that is known throughout the world, of which Kyoto represents the high point of its attainment. These ramblings of an old teahouse carpenter (sukiya daiku) follow the development of tea and its presentation in the cha-no-yu tea ceremony, which drove the need for teahouses and their architectural evolution. Today many teahouses exist in Kyoto associated with both temples and villas; most are set in teagardens with their stylised formats.
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So-an teahouse near Kiyomizudera temple, Kyoto |
Those in imperial villa gardens are generally large, somewhat grander than those simple rustic structures developed by the early tea-masters. Those in temple gardens tend to have been preserved in the traditional style although will not have survived the centuries and have been rebuilt many times. Tea has its origins in the Nara period of the 6 th Century when it was imported as part of the Buddhist culture. The practice of drinking tea was quickly adopted by the aristocracy who indulged in the collection of expensive Chinese tea utensils. The early 13 th Century Zen masters imbued tea drinking with Zen philosophy and set the stage for its further development in the 14 th & 15 th Centuries as an art form with religious significance, which was taken up by the Shogunate. It reached a high point by the 17 th Century and greatly influenced the development of Shoin buildings with the Sukiya style of refined architectural elegance. The Shoin style saw the introduction of a modular design using Shoji screens to divide the building into ‘separate rooms’. The formal Shoin style of large rooms with brightly decorated walls and elegant coffered ceilings was too imperious for day to day use and the Sukiya style evolved with its subdued decor and rustic structures providing a smaller more intimate space.
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Iho-an teahouse, Kodai-ji temple, Kyoto |
Tea was served in the large Shoin writing hall and became known as Shoin tea. It was Sen-no-Rikyu who preferred the rustic simplicity and introduced the notion of wabi and a move out from the Shoin to a smaller separate building. He introduced what was the first teahouse design known as the So-an (grass cottage) style. The So-an teahouse was very small being only 2 mats in floor area. (Buildings were measured in tatami mats, which were a standard size approximately 6’ by 3’). A later development of this cottage style designed by Sen-no-Rikyu survives at Kodai-ji temple. The Iho-an (Cottage of Lingering Fragrance) was the favourite tea ceremony room of a local wealthy merchant. This shows a large round moon window, which is generally atypical of most designs. Most window designs tend to be of much smaller proportions with irregular figure-work.
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Rikaku-an teahouse, Jikko-in, Ohara |
The teahouse normally included a kitchen area for the preparation of the tea with a hole cut into the mat for the brazier. The design included an alcove to display a scroll and ikebana flower arrangement. This may be seen as separate external space in the illustration (small protrusion to the right). Entry was through a crawl door only 3’ high to foster an attitude of humility. Any windows were exposed bamboo wattle to the outside and paper covered bamboo lattice to the inside. Larger buildings (4½ mat size) had sliding shoji screens acting as room dividers. Windows also had hatches enabling the light to be controlled within the tearoom. The roof was constructed of a bamboo framework with a thick miscanthus thatch. A packed earth veranda was often incorporated into later designs under its own special roof section. A large rock is used to provide a step into the teahouse and as a place to leave the shoes long with ones worldly cares. Later designs were roofed with cypress bark strips layered several inches thick or small cryptomaria shingles about 12” by 3” laid in up to 12 layers giving a solid roof some 4” thick.
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Shigutr-tei teahouse, Kodai-ji temple, Kyoto |
A most unusual teahouse is to be found in the grounds of the Kodai-ji temple complex. The Shigutr-tei teahouse has a traditional miscanthus thatch over a two-storey house complete with external steps to the upper level. Whilst it appears to be an old design further information on its provenance has not been forthcoming.
The essence of a teahouse is to provide an environment in which the tea ceremony can take place without visual distraction. It avoids any provision for a view of the garden and is a quiet space of gentle light and rustic simplicity. A place of timelessness, humility and focus - another place to watch the stones grow.
This article was written by David Burgess of Jade Pavilions.
Copyright Jade Pavilions 2005.
Manufacturers of award winning, configurable oriental teahouses, pavilions, bridges and entrances. More information about Jade Pavilions
