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Kyoto State Guest House [SP] Kyoto State Guest House [PC]

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  1. State Guest Houses
  2. Kyoto State Guest House
  3. Juraku-no-Ma

Juraku-no-Ma

A photo of the whole of Juraku-no-Ma, photographing the room diagonally. Bright red chairs are lined up against the walls. On the pedestal in the center flowers are arranged in a flower vase.

A space lit by a soft glow reminiscent of paper lanterns

This space is used as a waiting room for invited guests and their attendants during banquets and ministerial meetings.
The character ju carries the concept of gathering together, and raku means peace of mind and joy.
Juraku-no-Ma is intended as a place where peace of mind and joy come together.

Highlights

A woven flower vase is in the center of the photo. The vase's design is made with countless bamboo strips woven together. The vase is in the shape of a jar, but the top is made to open wide to accomodate flowers.

A Bamboo Craft flower basket

When entertaining guests, a floral arrangement, ikebana, is displayed in this hanakago (flower basket) atop a decorative stand. The vase is the work of the late Hayakawa Shōkosai V, a Living National Treasure.

In this photo, a flower arrangement can be seen in the foreground, and comfortable chairs can be seen lined up in the background. One can tell that the chairs are quite large.

Comfortable Chairs Await Our Guests

The chairs arranged in this room are crafted using the traditional wood joinery techniques, where pieces of wood are assembled without using any nails. The vivid red upholstery, woven in Kyoto's famed Nishijin district, brings a touch of elegance and brightness to the space.

A photo of the pedestal beneath the flower vase. The pedestal is octagonal. The table foot also has eight sides. The side facing front is made of strips of lacquered wood and mother-of-pearl, evenly lined up. The faces of the pedestal base on either side are decorated with woven patterns of finely sliced bamboo.

A Decorative Stand Rich in Traditional Artisanal Skills

The centrally-placed decorative stand is ornamented with lacquer, raden (mother-of-pearl inlays), and bamboo crafts.

This photo is taken with a nail head covering from Juraku-no-Ma at its center. The nail head covering is black in color, and is made in the shape of a

Decorative Metal Fittings Symbolizing Hopes for Peace

The design of the decorative metal fittings, used as nail head covers, was inspired by kumihimo traditional Japanese braided cords. The kumihimo motif symbolizes the hope of binding nations and people together.

For those who wish to pay a visit