In conjunction with the upcoming exhibition ‘Windowology: New Architectural Views from Japan‘ on display in the Gallery from 1 December 2021, Japan House London explores the relationship between windows and tea, with a special lecture by tea master Kimura Sōkei from the London branch of Urasenke, one of the major tea schools in Japan.
Chashitsu, the Japanese teahouse, has a distinctive structure which allows for many types of windows to be featured within a small area. With the evolution of architectural design, teahouses offered opportunities for freedom of window design, including styles such as maru-mado (round windows), renji-mado (windows with vertical wooden slats) and many others.
Chashitsu are designed to be used for chadō (or chanoyu), the Japanese way of tea: a teahouse is designed in such a way that guests can sit comfortably for several hours. It provides various design elements subtly concealed in the room, making the best use of its minimal space.
In this event guests are introduced to a lesser-known aspect of chadō, as Kimura Sōkei explains how windows interact with the space by diffusing the changing, natural light within a small enclosure, and the connection between the architecture of the teahouse and the Japanese way of tea.
The exhibition ‘Windowology: New Architectural Views from Japan‘ features okoshi-ezu (flip-up architectural models) of different teahouses and is on display on the Lower Ground Floor of Japan House London from 1 December until 10 April 2022.
Before making your booking you might want to note the following:
- Every guest will require their own ticket.
- The screening will begin at the start of the allotted time on your ticket. We advise that guests arrive at least 5-10 minutes before the event begins. Please note we are unable to guarantee entry to those who arrive after the event has begun.
- Guests will also be able to access the Ground Floor, including The Shop, The Stand and our cultural installations (tickets are not required here).
- Please note that entry to this event does not include entry to the Windowology: New Architectural Views from Japan exhibition. Free tickets to the exhibition must be booked separately and are available on Japan House London’s website here.
- If you have any problems with using this system to book your ticket, please email us at [email protected] with your preferred date and time.
- We recommend that guests (aged 11 and over) wear a face covering, unless they are exempt.
- Please exercise caution in keeping a safe distance from other guests and members of staff. Japan House London continues to cap capacity but this will be increased.
Full details of our new safety measures and guidelines for our guests (including FAQs) are available at www.japanhouselondon.uk/covid.