Kyoto's New Attraction: Experience the Beauty of the Four Seasons in a Glass Tea House

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 

kyoto has always been one of the most popular travel destinations in japan for taiwanese visitors. with its ancient capital charm, it offers different sceneries throughout the four seasons. in addition to well-known attractions such as kiyomizu-dera temple and fushimi inari taisha, the newest hotspot is the tōshō-gū seiryūden, which was completed as recently as october 2014.

Tōshō-gū Seiryūden was once the Heian Period venue of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. Its stage platform is constructed from precious hinoki cypress wood, making it a fully wooden structure that is 4.6 times larger than the famous Kiyomizu Stage. From here, you can overlook the scenery of Kyoto City from a height of 220 meters. From the observation deck, not only can you see the giant torii gate of Heian Shrine, but you can also follow the clues on the map to find sights such as the Kamo River and Kyoto University. Starting from April 9, 2015, the “Glass Tea House – KOU-AN,” designed by renowned Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka, will also be exhibited on the large stage of Tōshō-gū Seiryūden in Kyoto for a one-year period.

The “Glass Tea House - KOU-AN” is located at the center of the Seiryūden platform. Tokujin Yoshioka used transparent materials to create a Japanese-style house at a 1:10 scale, aiming to express a symbiotic concept where Japanese thought, culture, and nature are integrated as one. This symbolic piece presents the zen-like essence of nature through its transparency, fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.