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Rikkyu's view

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A tiny couryard garden at Daitokuji, Kyoto

A story relates that at the end of his life Rikkyu built his last teahouse somewhere on the mountains overlooking the Inland Sea. When it was completed, he invited his most noble friends for a direct taste of his mature design talents. They made the long laborious ascent, passed through a carefully designed garden, but were disappointed. The view to the sea was blocked everywhere by the old fool. Before crouching into the teahouse they were made to step down and rinse their hands and mouth. Bending down, just at the surface of the water they were treated -- through a tiny opening in the hedge -- to a full view of the grand scenery of the Inland Sea. Nitschke 1993, 44