Chashitsu – the Japanese Teahouse: an Aesthetic System

The Japanese teahouse (chashitsu) developed its classic form in the 16 century A.D. and has since retained its position as a nucleus of Japanese culture. Despite its century-old history, numerous contemporary architects consider it one of the most important contributions to Japanese architecture and have reinterpreted it in theory and praxis in various different forms. The characterization of the related tea ceremony (chadô) varies from “ritual” to ”consciousness training”, “performance” or even “total work of art” (Gesamtkunstwerk). This investigation approaches the topic from its ritual and aesthetic background through the medium of systems theory and demonstrates that the teahouse – whether traditional or contemporary – pursues the objective of establishing a multisensual aesthetic system, uniting the participants in a strictly calculated, yet harmonious space-time-microcosm.