Touring the Meiji era residences its been evident that in the rooms where guests were greeted and tea was served it was a carefully choreographed seated affair. The hearth (“Ro”) was fitted into the floor; there was an alcove (“Toko-no-ma”) where art was displayed; and there were a set of shelves for preparation (“Mizuya”) where the utensils were washed and stored for the tea ceremony.
The drawing room, or “shoin-no-ma”, had an anteroom, or “tsugi-no-ma”, and side alcove, or “waki-toko”. The guest would sit at the back of the alcove and the master of the house on the opposite side.
A sliding door opened to a wooden veranda looking out onto the garden.
Amazing to imagine living that simply