J.YAMAGUCHI - Japan travel guide -

Mori Garden - The reception room, built in the shoin style

The shoin-no-ma was a kind of a parlor where the feudal lord invited their guests. In the tokonoma alcove straight ahead as you enter is a scroll listing the moral precepts of the Mori clan. This shoin-no-ma is divided into three sections, each one with a different lattice pattern in the ceiling and a different number of electric light fixtures. Guests were seated in one of these three sections depending on their rank. The use of electric lighting in an era when this sort of illumination was not in common use was a means for the lord to show off the splendor of his villa. Our guide showed us what happened when a subject or vassal came to visit the villa, which helped us understand that the social structure of Japan was as rigid and strict as that of feudal China.

We could see the gardens outside through the windows. The villa has two stories, and the view from the windows up top was splendid. We could see the entire garden and its walking course all at once, made up of green pines, scattered lanterns, and hidden gravel paths (apparently, you used to be able to see the ocean as well). We could see what luxurious lives the feudal lords of the past lived.

There are doors both directly opposite and on either side of the hanging scrolls, and all of them are lower than ordinary doors. In fact, they are so low that you have to bend over to pass through them. The teahouse was built so that one couldn’t bring a sword inside, and the owner and his guests could enjoy drinking tea in a safe and secure environment. The building also reflects the Japanese virtues of humility. The roof is thatched with lightweight straw, built so that no enemies could climb onto it. In order to enter the teahouse, you have to carefully clean your feet. It is so clean inside that if you happened to drop one of the sweets served with tea, you could it eat it right off the tatami mat. This and many other details help us understand the kindness and gentleness of the art of tea.