horadoko　洞床

KEY WORD :　architecture / tea houses

Lit. cave alcove. A cave-like entrance to a tea ceremony room, partially enclosed by a side wall. The side wall is called *sodekabe 袖壁. Usually this type of alcove is about 120cm wide with an opening of 97-100cm. It does not have an alcove post *tokobashira 床柱, or finishing board, ochikake 落掛, along the top of the valance wall. In these two points, especially, it differs from *murodoko 室床. The front opening of the horadoko is arch-shaped, and it is plastered inside and out. The corner posts are also plastered. Exposed edges are sometimes plastered to form rounded corners hamaguriba 蛤端. A window with a hanging translucent screen kakeshoujimado 掛障子窓, is on occasion made in the side wall to provide light for the darkest part of the cave alcove. The floor may be of two types: a plank floor which is level with the *tatami 畳 of the tea room *chashitsu 茶室, making a step-in alcove *fumikomidoko 踏込床, or the alcove is raised a step by placing a facing board kamachidoko 框床, across the front. A peg is inserted in the center of the rear wall for hanging a scroll. Sometimes a peg for a flower vase is placed in the center of the alcove opening. Examples: Taimadera Naka-no-bou 当麻寺中之坊, in Nara; Ninnaji Hitoutei 仁和寺飛涛亭 in Kyoto; and Kanden'an 菅田庵 in Shimane prefecture.

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