ROJI [CHASHITSU GARDEN]

Roji [露地] the garden path leading to the Chashitsu, marks the transition from the outside world into a space of focus. Komorebi, the filtered light through tree leaves, create gentle movements of shadow on the ground. It is as if trees inhale and exhale the light that shines from above. I imagine the sounds of Shō, the free-reed mouth organ. The slow, breathing chords suggest the natural rhythm of nature.

TOBI-ISHI [STEPPING STONES]

Along the Roji, a line of stepping stones leads toward the Chashitsu. Each stone is placed with intention — guiding movement and shaping rhythm to our footsteps. Their arrangement reflects Sen no Rikyū’s belief that their purpose is to offer comfort to each step.

CHUMON [MIDDLE GATE]

Chumon marks the division between the Outer and Inner Gardens of the Roji, symoblising the threshold between the two worlds. It serves as a point of transition and stillness, inviting a brief pause before entering the Inner Garden. Sounds come and go. As constant noise of airborne machines diminishes, the steady sound of my breath takes over.

ROJI-SUKASHI [SEE THROUGH GARDEN]

In the Inner Garden, sunlight filters through the trees in shifting patterns of light and shade. This is a design known as Roji-sukashi, the ‘see-through garden’. In criss-crossing patterns with light, bird songs form intersecting layers of sound. Each phrase varies slightly, introducing new nuances with each repetition. Between their voices, the pauses create a quiet balance of sound and silence — what I would call, a kind of ‘hear-through garden’.

TSUKUBAI [WATER BASIN]

Going deeper in the Inner Garden, we come in front of Tsukubai, a stone basin into which water flows gently from bamboo. The name derives from the verb ‘tsukubau’ [to crouch] — reflecting the act of bowing to cleanse the hands before entering the Chashitsu. Beneath the basin rests a Suikinkutsu, a buried ‘water koto cave’ that produces delicate, resonant tones as water drops fall within. It is a place of purification not only for our hands — but for our ears too.

NIJIRI-GUCHI (The KNEEL-DOWN ENTRANCE)

At the entrance to the Chashitsu is Nijiri-guchi, a small, low doorway through which all must kneel down to enter. This gesture symbolises the act of stripping away our ego and the equality within Chashitsu. Our hands connect to the earth, as in the exchange of energy between bow and string. The rising melody recalls the Hichiriki, the Gagaku instrument often referred as the voice of the earth.

CHASHITSU

Inside the Chashitsu, space and time expand within the small space of 4.5 tatami mats [7.5 sq meters]. Subtle asymmetry and careful placement create a sense of balance through imbalance — the Ma [meaningful space]. Silence is active, shaped by movement and sound, opening a space between the real and the imagined.

RO [FIRE]

Ro, a hearth set into the centre of the Chashitsu floor, forms an integral part of the Tea Ceremony. As the host prepares the fire, faint crackles and shifting tones emerge. The placement and arrangement of charcoal vary between schools, reflecting subtle differences in the aesthetic.

CHANOYU [TEA CEREMONY]

In Chanoyu, the preparation of tea is carried out through a series of intentional gestures and sounds. Every movement holds meaning within the ritual. I imagine a melody inspired by the Japanese folk song ‘Tea Harvest’, an echo of past and present.

CHAWAN [TEA BOWL]

The tea bowl is passed from the host to the guests, each turning it before drinking as a gesture of appreciation. The motion creates a quiet rhythm — a play of touch and turning. The underlying melody is inspired by Yusef Lateef’s ‘The Plum Blossom’.

ANDON [PAPER LANTERN]

Andon provides gentle illumination as darkness falls. Its soft light preserves the balance of shadow and light, expressing Sen no Rikyū’s principle that it is best ‘not to have the Chashitsu be too bright – let the shadows play’. Beauty lies in the natural glow of shadows.