Image Label: Teahouses of Katsura Villa
Image Title (Original): Katsura Rikyu
Location: The Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto, Japan
Author: Kimon Berlin
Date: Photo taken on November 25, 2008
Description: The above image showcases the interior design and view of an isolated teahouse located on the grounds of the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto, Japan. By providing viewers with a clear and open view across the tranquil, murky blue lake, the image highlights the villa’s emphasis on the uninterrupted beauty of nature. Engulfed by a variety of luscious green trees and bushes, the lone teahouse across the lake captures how the villa was designed to be one with nature, and harmonious with the natural features of the land. Only accessible by taking a walk through the beautiful gardens of the villa, the pure location of each structure emphasizes the qualities of purity, reverence, isolation, and respect for nature. Moreover, each teahouse in the image is constructed with natural materials including aged wood, bamboo, and straw. In the nearby structure, one can see how the teahouse has been fenced and outlined with a series of imperfect bamboo poles that vary in shape and circumference. The natural irregularities of the house strongly align the traditional Japanese views of wabi-sabi, the aesthetic philosophy that admires all cases of imperfection found in the natural world. As for the house’s interior, the building’s mat covered floors add a soft and inviting touch to the layout. Simplistic, monotone in color, and open to the fresh air, the teahouses of the Katsura Villa truly incorporate the significance of nature within their design.
References:
Image by Kimon Berlin: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Katsura_Rikyu_(3263905779).jpg
Image licensing information: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
Citation: Berlin, Kimon. “Katsura Rikyu .” Wikimedia Commons, 25 Nov. 2008.
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