tousu　東司
KEY WORD :　architecture / buildings & structures
　
Also read toushi. Originally tousu was the god of the latrine who was also called fujou kongou 不浄金剛, or dirty water kongou. A toilet, latrine or lavatory at a Zen temple. The tousu was also called toujo 東序 or toujou 東浄 meaning the lavatory for monks living on the east side of temple grounds. For the group of monks living on the west side of the temple grounds, the latrine was called saijou 西浄. The westside toilet was also called seijou 西浄, and eventually became contracted to setchin 雪隠 (snow hidden), the common name used for the toilets in a tea ceremony garden *chaniwa 茶庭. See *sunasetchin 砂雪隠 (sand toilet).
The lavatories were situated diagonally to the left and right of the bathhouse *ooyuya 大湯屋. The tousu was at the east right front of the grounds facing the main gate, while the saijou was at the west, left front of the grounds also facing the gate. The priests of highest status used the tousu and lower level administrators used the saijou. Eventually, tradition has it, the separate latrines were combined into one and called Tousu. Only two are extant at Zen temples. These are:
Toufukuji 東福寺 Tousu (early 15c) in Kyoto. It is 7×4 bays (27.07m×10.36m) and has a gable roof *kirizuma-zukuri 切妻造, covered with tile *hongawarabuki 本瓦葺. Its only entrance is on the north gable end. The interior is now lacking all its original fixtures. The other tousu is at the Zen temple called Shuuon-an 酬恩庵 (1653) in Kyoto. It is 2×2 bays (4m×3m), and also has a gable roof that is covered with pantile *sangawarabuki 桟瓦葺. At Rinnouji Taiyuuin 輪王寺大猷院, there is a toilet called Reibyou Saijou 霊廟西浄 (1653) in Tochigi prefecture. It is 5×2 bays (9.10m×3.64m), and has a gable roof. It has an entrance on the gable end. The roof is copper-covered to simulate tile, doubanbuki 銅板葺.
　

Toufukuji Tousu 東福寺東司 (Kyoto)

　
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