tokonoma

Examples of tokonoma in the following topics:

• Shoin Rooms

  • Other characteristics to arise from the lower vantage point were the tokonoma and chigaidana.
  • The tokonoma was an elevated recess built into the wall to create a space for displaying Chinese art, which was popular at the time, at a comfortable eye level.
  • The chigaidana, or "staggered shelves," were shelving structures built into the tokonoma to display smaller objects.
  • The asymmetry of the tokonoma and chigaidana pair, as well as the squared pillars, differentiated the shoin design from the contemporary Chinese design of the time, which preferred symmetric pairs of furniture and round pillars.

• Japanese Architecture in the Momoyama Period

  • Fusuma (vertical rectangular panels that can slide from side to side) and byōbu (folding screens) became highly decorated with paintings, and often an interior room with shelving and an alcove (tokonoma) was used to display art work (typically a hanging scroll).