In a small island in the middle of the tranquil sea, rises a former temple turned into a quaint teahouse.

The Japanese Teahouse is a small tabletop model depicting a hexagonal teahouse on top of an island in the sea. The model is inspired by octagonal and hexagonal halls seen throughout Japan, especially the Rokkakudo Hall, the Kamijura-jinja shrine and the legendary Itsukushima Shrine.

Interior

The roof and walls can be removed, allowing for full access to the interior. The chashitsu ( 茶室) or tea room is the space specifically designed for the tea ceremony. The model encapsulates all the authentic details of a true chashitsu. There is a low table in the centre of the room, because tea is drunk whilst kneeling on the tatami (畳) mat floors. In the back, there is the tokonoma (床の間), the alcove, with a hanging scroll or kakemono (掛け物), which reads “時を味わう”, translating to “enjoy the time”. Right under the scroll there is a vase of tea flowers, or chabana (茶花). These are the precise elements of a true chishitsu, nothing more, nothing less.

Easter Eggs

The model is packed with fun easter eggs. Hidden in the rockface there are little shrines dedicated to frogs, which are surprisingly common in Japanese temples. A little peek behind the model will unveil a sign reading お気を付け “be careful!”, because kappas might be roaming around! Lighting up the island, there are tōrō ( 灯篭), stone lanterns and chōchin (提灯), the red paper lanterns. Around the back a few lotus flowers grow in the water.

Techniques

Despite being a relatively modest model in size and piece count, it packs some nifty techniques. The hexagonal enclosed building and roof is built around Technic rotor pieces. The walls are built sideways using brackets. The red columns are capped by Bionicle tooth pieces as wooden beams. The water is built entirely sideways for a fully studless look. Whether hidden inside or out in plain sight, there are funky techniques all around the model for you to explore!

Model Dimensions:

Length: 25.7cm / 10.1in

Width: 15.6cm / 6.1in

Height: 22cm / 8.6in

Thank you for reading along and hope you like the model!