茶室

&

日本のデサーン
ドビー　チョン

Chasitsu & Japanese Design

[ ii ]
Introduction The design of sukiya architecture has no doubt creating great
influence on Japanese design and arts. This leads to certain

T
his is a study of Japanese arts and design in schools teaching sukiya style exclusively as its being a repre-
relation to Japanese tea house (chashitsu, 茶室). The sentation of traditional Japanese architecture and aesthetic.
architecture of Japanese tea house or room, hereafter However, Japanese architecture and design is not all about
refers as Chashitsu, is designed to be used for tea ceremony sukiya style and chasitsu, there are other principle elements
(chanoyu 茶の湯) gathering. The architectural style that that makes Japanese design a unique class on its own. In this
developed for chashitsu is referred to as the sukiya style (数 study, I will explore what are the underlying aesthetic and cul-
寄屋). Typical features found in chasitsu are shoji (障子), tural roots that are essential on understanding Japanese design
tatami (畳) mat floor and tokonoma (床の間) with simple and their relation to the sukiya architecture style.
rustic subdued color and style. Materials used for construc-
tion were traditional sourced locally such as sugi (cedar, 杉), In 1587 Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–98)
employed the tea master Sen no Rikyū
hinoki (cypress, 檜), bamboo and river stones. Very often, as his advisor on aesthetic matters. In
their original shapes and forms are preserved in order to the compound of Hideyoshi's impos-
conserve the originality and their natural beauty. ing Jurakudai castle in Kyoto Rikyū
designed an eighteen mat building
known as the Coloured Shoin which
Tea houses are believed to be first appeared in the Sengoku
was thought to be the first example of
period (戦国時代) (mid-15th century to early 17th century), sukiya-zukuri architecture.
a time in which the central government had almost no prac-
tical power, the country was in chaos, and wars and uprisings The style developed during rest of the
were commonplace. Many of the poor were eager to seek Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568–
1600) and was characterised by small
the salvation of the afterlife as taught by Zen Buddhism. Tea
rooms of usually four and a half tatami
houses were built mostly by Zen monks or by daimyo (大名), or even less that had a tokonoma
samurai, and merchants who practiced tea ceremony. They and shelves. These buildings were
sought simplicity and tranquility which is the central tenets of normally entered through a garden
Zen philosophy. The acknowledgment of simplicity and plain- often by means of an indirect curved
or diagonal path that would not allow
ness, which is a central motivation of the tea house, continued
an instant view of the teahouse.
to remain as a distinct Japanese tradition in the later periods.

The origin of sukiya architecture style is thought to be created

by a tea master, Sen no Rikyū (千利休), who was employed
by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) as being an advisor on
aesthetic matter. The chanoyu developed by Sen no Rikyū
was latter branched out to three Sen families of school teach-
ing (Omotesenke 表千家, Urasenke 裏千家, Mushakōjisen-
ke　武者小路千家) and thus further developed into varia-
tions of chanoyu.

[ iv ] [ v ]
In Japanese tradition, architectural spaces designed to be used for Contents
tea ceremony (chanoyu) gatherings are known as chashitsu (茶室,
literally “tea rooms”). Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

The architectural style that developed for chashitsu is referred to as Katsura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

the sukiya style (sukiya-zukuri), and the term sukiya (数奇屋) may (桂離宮)
be used as a synonym for chashitsu. Related Japanese terms are Shibui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
chaseki (茶席), broadly meaning “place for tea,” and implying any (渋い)
sort of space where people are seated to participate in tea ceremony, Iki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
and chabana, “tea flowers”, the style of flower arrangement associ- (粋)
ated with the tea ceremony. Miyabi and Fūryū . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(雅 ＆ 風諭)
Typical features of chashitsu are shōji windows and sliding doors Karei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
made of wooden lattice covered in a translucent Japanese paper; (華麗)
tatami mat floors; a tokonoma alcove; and simple, subdued colours Kabuku and Basara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(歌舞伎 婆娑羅)
and style. The ideal floor size of a chashitsu is 4.5 tatami mats.
Ma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(間)
The Japanese aesthetic is a set of ancient ideals that include wabi
(transient and stark beauty), sabi (the beauty of natural patina and Nōtan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(濃淡)
aging), and yūgen (profound grace and subtlety). These ideals, and
others, underpin much of Japanese cultural and aesthetic norms Mingei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(民芸)
on what is considered tasteful or beautiful. Thus, while seen as a
philosophy in Western societies, the concept of aesthetics in Japan
Rinpa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(琳派)
is seen as an integral part of daily life. Japanese aesthetics now
Kazari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
encompass a variety of ideals; some of these are traditional while (飾り)
others are modern and sometimes influenced by other cultures.
Wabi-Sabi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(侘び 寂び)
My thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(私の考え)

Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

[ vi ]
Chapter I

Katsura
(桂離宮)
Refined Rusticity in Architectural Design

T
he Katsura palace (Katsura Rikyū) is a pivotal work
of Japanese Architecture, often described as the “quintes-
sence of Japanese taste.” It provides an excellent path into
an understanding of principles of Japanese design. It is widely
regarded as the quintessential embodiment of the culture’s highly
refined and understated aesthetic sensibility.

The buildings and surrounding areas radiate a quiet, graceful pres-

ence that illustrates how attuned the Japanese are to the beauty of
nature, and how they are able to transform that beauty to their own
perspectives. It finely constructed parts reveal the Japanese arti-
sans’ careful attention to detail and sensitive, but calculated, use of
natural materials.

Katsura consists of a series of interconnected residential buildings

in a formal style called shoin (書院)、and several detached tea
[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Katsura

houses in an informal style known as sukiya 数奇屋.

Shokintei (松琴亭) is the most important teahouse at the villa. The ichinoma,
or first room, has a blue-and white checkered pattern on the sliding door and
tokonoma alcove. It demonstrates the genuine creativity, contemporary appeal
and subtle departure of traditional patterns, but remain novel in sukiya class.

京都桂離宮の松琴亭茶室

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 2

Shibui
(渋い)
Subtle Elegance

T
he term shibui or shibumi describes a distinct sense
of beauty, understated and well crafted, exquisite but
not overly sweet which is the opposite of showiness and
frippery.

The word represents a sense of elegance and refinement, sophisti-

cated simplicity, tranquility, natural imperfection, and modesty. It
is closely associated with the wabi –sabi aesthetics of the Japanese
tea ceremony of chanoyu.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン

Okura Hotel 2015

A classical example would be the lobby of the Okura Hotel. It was designed by
Taniguchi Yoshiro and remained unchanged since the time of its design. The
quietly elegant room, with its white paper Shoji screens accented with finely
textured and patterned latticework, and pale wood ceiling and wall surfaces,
reflect a contemporary representation of Shibui aesthetic in Japanese architec-
tural design.

[ 2 ]
Chapter 3

Iki
(粋)
Stylish, Sophisticated Elegance

S
huzo Kuki argues that the Edo ideal of iki or “chic” has
a threefold structure representing the fusion of the “amorous-
ness” (bitai) of the Geisha, the “valor” (ikuji) of the samurai,
and the “resignation” (aki)

The work for which Kuki is best known, The Structure of Iki, is
often regarded as the most creative work in modern Japanese aes-
thetics.

Reference: Reflections on Japanese Taste: The Structure of Iki ,Kuki Shuzo

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Iki

The beauties of the present

day – Kitagawa Utamaro
(喜多川 歌麿)

Ase o fuku onna (Woman

Wiping Sweat), Ukiyo-e,
1798

Women playing with the

mirror, 1797

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 4

Miyabi and Fūryū

(雅 ＆ 風諭)
Opulent and Stylish Elegance

U
nlike shibui, wabi, sabi and iki which represent the
understated and restrained beauty, the flipside of these
is a more opulent elegance often associated with Japan’s
elites and intellectuals. Thus, Miyabi represents the class of being
“courtly elegance”, which expresses the pinnacle of refinement
and beauty wistfully contemplated in the expression of Mono
no Aware. Fūryū implies a conspicuously rusticated elegance to
Shibui. The class of Fūryū was greatly influenced by the Ming
dynasty in Chinese evolution with aesthetic preferences of Japanese
intellectuals and artists who abhorred the repressive policies of the
Tokugawa military regime and held great admiration for Chinese.
As a result, participating Chinese-style service of steeped green tea
(sencha, 煎茶) was popular among intellectuals which was opposite
to Chanoyu in wabi style.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Miyabi and Fūryū

There is not much association of Miyabi and Fūryū to

traditional Chasitsu design because of Sukiya style of
architecture is considered a main stream of Chasitus
design which is dominated by Wabi-Sabi type of design.

Tsukuri-e use of bright, opaque color and delicate brushwork to present the
spaces within fukinuki yatai (吹き抜き　屋台), “roofless buildings,” and the
human characters with their hikime kagibana, (引目鉤鼻)“slit eyes and hooked
noses,” these scroll paintings are rich in emotional implications. 　
Mono no Aware (物の哀れ) Suma and Hashi hime, Scenes from the Tale of Genji Folding Screen
Since Heian period, mono aware refers to the sensitive, exquisite feelings expe-
rienced when encountering the subtle workings of human life or the changing
seasons. While aspects of mono no aware have long been part of the human
experience, the concept and the sensibilities associated with it were refined
during the Heian and Kamakura periods as part of the lifestyles of aristocrats
associated with the imperial court.

Tale of Nezame
Tale of Nezame illustrates the retired emperor visits Ono to biew the Snowy
Scenery. This picture scroll depicts the lives of courtly refinement enjoyed by
aristocrats through the process known as tsukuri-e (作り絵), which was admi-
rably suited to providing a visual representation of the deeply felt lyrical qualities
of the narratives.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 5

Karei
(華麗)
Sumptuous Elegance

T
he formal and public life of Japanese aristocrats
and élite warriors between fourteen and mid-nineteenth
centuries require the use of luxury objects and clothing
befitting their social status. To express karei in every aspect of
social life, objects such as clothing and theatrical costumes, resi-
dential furnishings, accessories and garments for military display,
court display, and Shinto rituals were created in way to show off
the aesthetic of karei which is about the feel and look of being
sumptuousness and elegance. The aesthetic of karei has close asso-
ciation with Chinese arts evidenced by the use of bright and golden
materials.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Karei

Chiense painting style and techniques

had great influence among the class of
Japanese aristocrates during fourteen
and mid-nineteenth centuries.

"Three Friends of Winter": Pine,

Bamboo and Plum Trees are often
cherished by the Chinese Literatures.

Five Pines, By Li Shan, China, Qing

dynasty, 18th century

Noh robe (縫箔 nuihaku), Edo

period (1615-1868), second half of 18th
century, Japanese Silk embroidery
and gold leaf on satin

Noh Robe with design of butterflies, chrysanthemums, maple leaves,

and miscanthus grass, Edo period (1615-1868), Silk embroidery and
gold leaf on silk satin.

The gleaming beauty of this Nō (能) robe contributed to the aesthetic

of stately Karei atmosphere of the Nō theatre.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン

Striding Lion: Mount for the Buddhist Deity Monju, Mid-13th century.
Japanese. Wood with traces of paint and crystal inlays, 26 3/8 x 34 inches.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust.

Iizuka Tōyō ( 飯塚桃葉), Tiered stationery box, makie (金蒔絵)lacquer over

wood core, gold and silver inlays.

This richly decorated box expresses the elegant karei taste of the upper class
of samurai family.

Noh costume (nuihaku), Edo period (1615–1868), second half of

18th century Japan Silk embroidery and metallic leaf on silk
satin

[ 4 ]
Chapter 6

Kabuku and Basara

(歌舞伎 婆娑羅)
Outlandish Elegance

I
n the early seventeenth century and after the
Tokugawa warriors took control of the country, urban
commoner culture flourished as never before. Participants in
this wave of cultural change included warriors forced to become
masterless samurai (rōnin 浪人), who fought on the losing side
of the recent civil wars, and commoners displaced by the conflicts.
These individuals became assimilated into the ranks of the newly
emerging urban commoner classes who participated en masse
in popular Shinto shrine festivals, attend Kabuki theatre perfor-
mances, and partook of other leisure activities, many of which took
place in new red light districts of Japan’s burgeoning urban centers,
where banquet halls like the Sumiya. The new type of extrava-
gant elegance was known as Kabuku, which symbolized rebellion
against conventional social and artistic attitudes.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Kabuku and Basara

Okuni Kabuki (阿国歌舞伎)

Edo period, first quarter of 17th century
Six-panel folding screen; ink, color, and gold on gilded paper

Tsuji Nobuo, a distinguished Japanese art historian, was the

first scholar to recognize a broad range of arts and artists whose
works seem to have been inspired by a sense of heterodoxy and He advocated the concept of "BASARA" – named after the word basara used
playfulness implicit in the word “kabuki”. during the Northern and Southern Courts period of Japanese history as well
as the Warring States (Sengoku) period's kabukimono – as a pompous and
extravagant aesthetic current.
By violating the traditional taboos on purpose, his works come as a true mani-
fest for the pompous yet extraordinary spirit of Basara.

Basara is an older expression that expresses the climate of social A boisterous dance
upheaval in Japan. Tenmyouya hiashi (天明屋尚), a Japanese
contemporary artist, described basara as “ the family of beauty that
stands on the opposite end of the spectrum from wabi sabi and
zen.. “

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 7

Ma
(間)
An Interval in Time and Space

M
a describes the partiality in Japanese design
for empty spaces, vagueness, abstraction, symmetri-
cal balance, and irregularly. It is a popular buzzword
among architects and cultural critics for defining a whole cluster
of Japanese aesthetics in the post-war period. Sukiya of Chasitsu
design represents many aspects of the aesthetic of Ma, particularly
in using the empty spaces and irregularities.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Ma

Ma , as being The Japanese Sense of Place, has its profound influ-

ence on designers searching for Ma’s spirit. Arata Izozaki　
（磯崎 新), who is considered to be one of world’s most illustrious
architects, providing in-depth understanding on MA in an essay
on his research“MA-The Japanese Sense of Place”. The concept
of MA represents the foundation of almost all aspects of Japanese
life and he saw it as a uniquely Japanese perception of spatial and
temporal reality that resonated with contemporary theories of the
universe as defined by quantum physicists who understand space
and time not as separate categories but as interdependent dimen-

Tokonoma alcove is
an integral part of
Chasitsu, the hang-
ing scroll and flower In Japanese architecture,
arrangement serve not engawa(縁側) is a typically
as ornament, but rather wooden strip of flooring
to give depth to the immediately before the
shadows. windows and storm shutters
inside traditional Japanese
rooms. Recently this term
also come to mean the
veranda outside the room as
well, which was traditionally
referred as a nureen (濡れ
縁). In Engawa design, the
emptiness of Ma is used to
provide intrigue transient
space between the nature and
dwelling.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Ma

Issey Miyake (三宅 一世) was one of

the prominent avant-grade contemporary
artists and designers who contributed to
the landmark 1978 exhibition, MA Espace
- Temps du Japon, about Ma. In his
works, the abstraction and vagueness of
Ma were being transformed into contem-
porary styles.

The space design of Engawa(縁側) acts as a stage for viewing the

scenic surrounding.

[ 4 ] [ 5 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン

Jun Kaneko (潤 金子), a Japanese

ceramic artist, quoted as saying that
Ma “defines his entire practice as an
artist – as painter, sculptor, designer,
ceramist..”

[ 6 ]
Chapter 8

Nōtan
(濃淡)
The Dark-Light Principle

N
ōtan is not a class by itself invented by Japanese.
However, this design principle is being incorporated into
Japanese design in a unique way. In Nōtan design, it is
about the dynamic interaction between dark and light values often
in two-dimensional image. In Japanese’ terminology, Nōtan is used
to express “light-dark” as an element of design. In the West, posi-
tive space and negative space is the equivalent term for this.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Nōtan

The two elements are really one. This

is an eastern concept of yin-yang
(隂陽) that each is what the other is
not.

The principle of this design is that dark shapes cannot exist with-
out a surrounding area of white and vice versa.
Referecne: Art Café

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 8

Mingei
(民芸)
Japanese Folk Crafts

T
he rusticity and unpretentious ruggedness, which
were associated with the dwellings and functional objects
used by Japanese farmers, was recognized by early Chanoyu
tea masters. Medieval period tea masters incorporated this
aesthetic into their new wabi-style tea ceremony in preferences for
rough, unglazed stoneware ceramic tea utensils and unpaid, wood
framed, thatched roof tea houses. Tea masters only valued arts
that associated with their ideas about Chanoyu, but it was Yanagi
Soetsu 柳 宗悦 who discovered and promoted appreciation for a
much wider variety of inexpensive, utilitarian, handmade crafts by
and for commoners.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Mingei

He believed that the anonymous artisans who made these objects

utilized natural materials and pre-modern production methods to
create practiceal, functional products filled with and unconsciouss
spiritual beauty that revealed an elevated moral or social conscious-
ness superior to objects created as luxury goods for the wealthy
class of society. He considered these arts reflective of the true
aesthetic expression of the Japanese people

Quoted from Yanagi Sōetsu

(柳 宗悦) (1889-1961) who
was a Japanese philosopher and
founder of mingei movement
in Japan saying that “If the
repetition of a machine is the
death of all art, the manual
repetition by a craftsman is the
very mother of skill and skill is
the mother of beauty.” Yoshihiro Takishita, pres-
ident and founder of
The Association for the
Preservation of Old Japanese
Farmhouses (APOJF), is an
architect and art collector.

Takishita has made a career of saving old minka (farmhouses) from demo-
lition by moving those that cannot be preserved in situ and using their
skeletall framework to create comfortable modern houses for himself and
clients worldwide.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 10

Rinpa
(琳派)
Decorative Art of the Kōrin School

R
inpa (琳派 Rinpa), is one of the major historical schools
of Japanese painting. It was created in 17th century Kyoto
by Hon’ami Kōetsu (本阿弥 光悦) and Tawaraya Sōtatsu
(俵屋 宗達). Roughly fifty years later, the style was consolidated
by brothers Ogata Kōrin (尾形光琳) and Ogata Kenzan(尾
形 乾山).

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Rinpa

The term "Rinpa" is an abbreviation consisting of the last syllable

from "Kōrin" with the word for school (派 ha?) (with rendaku John Carpenter
changing this to "pa"), coined in the Meiji period. Previously, the
style was referred to variously as the Kōetsu school (光悦派 Kōet- Rinpa is a modern term that refers to a distinctive style of
su-ha?), or Kōetsu-Kōrin school (光悦光琳派 Kōetsu-Kōrin-ha?), Japanese pictorial and applied arts that arose in the early 17th
or the Sōtatsu-Kōrin school (宗達光琳派 Sōtatsu-Kōrin-ha?). century and has continued into modern times. Literally mean-
ing “school of Korin,” Rinpa derives its name from that of the
The subjects and styles of Rinpa art recalled the courtly culture of renowned artist Ogata Korin (1658–1716). It embraces art
the Heian period and often featured ancient waka (和歌) poetry, marked by a bold, graphic abbreviation of natural motifs, fre-
its greater abstraction a nd bolder colors imparted a modern flair to quent reference to traditional court literature and poetry, lavish
these arts. use of expensive mineral and metallic pigments, incorporation
of calligraphy into painting compositions, and innovative exper-
imentation with brush techniques.
Waka Poetry - the Kokin
Wakashū (古今和歌集) is gener- The Rinpa Aesthetic embraces bold, exaggerated, or pure-
ally regarded as the definitive
ly graphic renderings of natural motifs as well as formalized
anthology of waka poetry.
depictions of fictional characters, poets, and sages. Underlying
Rinpa design sensibilities is a tendency toward simplification
and abbreviation, often achieved through a process of formal
exaggeration. Rinpa is also celebrated for its use of lavish
pigments, conspicuous or sometimes subliminal references to

Hon'ami Kōetsu (本阿弥 光悦), the leader of a small group of

independent minded artists, who found the artistic style known
as Rinpa in the old imperial capital of Kyoto during the early
八橋図屏風
seventeenth century. He is a calligrapher from a well-con-
Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges)
nected samurai family of sword polishers who immersed himself
Artist: Ogata Kōrin ( Japanese, 1658–1716)
in various arts at an artist’s colony he founded.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン

Part of a series of episodes

about the Ise Stories (Ise
monogatari) 伊勢物語

“ I wear robes with well-worn hems,

Reminding me of my dear wife
I fondly think of always,
So as my sojourn stretches on tabi
Ever farther from home,
Sadness fills my thoughts. “—Trans. John T. Carpenter

[ 4 ]
Chapter 11

Kazari
(飾り)
Modes of Decoration and Display

T
he aesthetic of Kazari can be seemed as a gradual
evolution of Japanese design tradition and it often contains
multiple modes of equal importance being presented
simultaneously within the multitude of s ocial contexts. These
varied modes can generally be described with the word “kazari”
which is literally translated as being decorative, ornamental
and adornment.

[ 1 ]
茶室 & 日本のデザイン Kazari

The architecture design of

Chasitsu typically has windows
Curtain (noren) in hemp and cotton of different sizes with differ-
with tsutsugaki(筒描)dip-dyed in ent height placements in
digo and brushed sum ink, Meiji respect to certain perspec-
Period tive views. This asymmetric
style has been used on various
design disciples throughout the
history and can be found in
many applications on contempo-
rary design.

Sherman Emory Lee (1918-2008)

was an American Academic, a
distinguished and respected
writer and art historian
specializing in far eastern
arts. In this book “The
Genius of Japanese Design,”
he described the Japanese eye
delights in asymmetry, intui-
tive placement, subtle shades
and combinations of colors,
as compared to the Chinese
proclivity toward balance,
rational sequence, and purity
and separation of colors.
The vocabulary of Japanese
design is distinguished by the Use of minimalist, the monochrome concrete buildings designed by Tadao
dominance of asymmetric compo- Endo shows a feeling of austerity: Tadao Ando’s designs are often influenced
sition, the dominance of the heavily by Zen Philosophy that is understated, but yet elegant. Quoted
material over the carefully by his saying, “I have always been very impressed by traditional Japanese
reticent hand of the artist, architecture. I very much appreciate the delicacy of Sukiya and Japanese tea
the dominance of pattern and houses, I am also amazed by the scale and power of traditional structure such
of motif, often traditional as Itsukushima Shrine, Todaiji Temple and many others.
and with literary overtones.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chapter 12

Wabi-Sabi
(侘び 寂び)
Rustic and Withered Elegance

The aesthetic of Chanoyu tea ceremony is closely linked to the

words wabi and sabi. The preference of using inexpensive tea wares
over finely wrought Chinese utensils known as wari-suki by the
Chanoyu founder, Murata Jukō (村田珠光),has made wabi-sabi as
basic design concept on Chasitsu.

Wabi and sabi, often together with shibui and suki represent the
“essence of Japanese beauty”. The word wabi refers to desolate
or lonely, and embodies appreciation of a rustic beauty in natural
imperfection and celebrate the noble spirit of poverty and humility.
Sabi refers to rusted, lonesome, or dreary, and aesthetically evokes
sorrow for the fragility of life. The design of chasitsu is a classic
representation of being wabi sabi with its use of materials that are
being natural, imperfect, minimal and fragile together with subtle
and rustic construction. The are many interpretation and use of
Wabi-Sabi in the design world.

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茶室 & 日本のデザイン Wabi-Sabi

Elizabeth Gordon, the influential editor of House Beautiful

magazine for more than 20 years, wrote an essay in 1960, ''We
Invite You to Enter a New Dimension: Shibui,'' extolled the
principles of understated resonance and serenity in design
and is credited with introducing traditional Japanese design
ideas to the American public. She explained wabi and sabi as
underlying principles of shibui in gardens. In her terms, the
presence of sabi in gardens that process a “tranquil and serene
atmosphere,” and wabi as a design concept in which “nothing
is over-emphasized or extravagant or exaggerated.” Nowa-
days, these words have been applied to a wide variety of crafts,
fine arts, commercial products, architectural designs and even
interpersonal relationship when association is made to prod-
ucts or designs that are created from rustic and tactile, seem-
ingly old, natural materials.

[ 2 ] [ 3 ]
My thought about Japanese Design Aesthetic

My thought
(私の考え)
My thought about the relationship between chasitsu and Japanese
design has two folds. The architectural design of chasitsu has no
doubt for its influence on the Japanese design aesthetic. As illus-
trated in the preceding chatpers, it is evidented that many Japanese
design aesthetic elements can be found in Chasitsu. However,
many institutions regards the architecture of chasitsu is wholly
representation of Japanese architetural design and make teaching
chasitsu exclusively.

In order for one to understand the Japanese aesthetic and architect-

gural design, one has to be thinking out of the box and to explore
the many other aesthetic design elements that have profound
contribution to the world of Japanese design aesthetic. Kabuku,
Basara and Rinpa are classic movments that have set out a new
wave on Japaense design.

Dobie Cheung

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 Reference
Japanese Design Art, Aesthetics & Culture
by Patricia J. Graham

Measure and Construction of the Japanese House

by Heino Engel

Reflections on Japanese Taste: The Structure of Iki

by Kuki Shuzo

Super Potato Design,

The Complete Works of Takashi Sugimoto
by Mira Locher

Minka, Traditional Houses of Rurual Japan

b y Chuji Kawashima

京都秘蔵の庭　(文)小埜雅章

Reflections on Japanese Taste: The Structure of Iki ,
by Kuki Shuzo

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