床の間

• Reading: とこのま
• Romaji: tokonoma
• Kanji breakdown: 床 (toko) — raised platform, floor; 間 (ma) — space, room
• Pronunciation: /to.ko.no.ma/

Meaning

Tokonoma; a recessed alcove in a traditional Japanese room used to display a hanging scroll, flowers, or other art objects.

A noun referring to the most prestigious niche in a traditional Japanese room. Guests are seated with their backs to the tokonoma as a mark of honour. The concept is deeply tied to wabi-sabi aesthetics and the architecture of the tea room. In literary contexts, the tokonoma often serves as a symbol of refined taste, the weight of tradition, or the host's aesthetic sensibility.

Examples

1. 床の間には季節の掛け軸と一輪挿しの花が飾られていた。 In the tokonoma, a seasonal hanging scroll and a single flower in a vase were on display.
2. 茶室の床の間に置かれた香炉が静かに煙を上げていた。 An incense burner placed in the tokonoma of the tea room quietly sent up wisps of smoke.
3. その小説では床の間の掛け軸が主人の美意識と家の格式を象徴していた。 In the novel, the hanging scroll in the tokonoma symbolized the master's aesthetic sensibility and the prestige of the household.

Usage Guide

Context: traditional architecture, tea ceremony, literature, art

Tone: aesthetic

Origin & History

From 床 (raised floor platform) + の (possessive particle) + 間 (space, room). The 床 originally referred to a raised dais, and the 間 is the architectural space it occupies.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated