Shinshoji Temple: Kohtei 神勝禅寺　洸庭

Official explanation

The Kohtei, designed by sculptor Kohei Nawa and his creative platform Sandwich, seems to rise up out of the ground. Unlike any other building at Shinshoji Temple, the Kohtei is both an impressive piece of architecture and an art installation.

The Kohtei is shaped like a ship, raised high on pylons over a sea of scattered rocks. The building is solid concrete, but looks light enough to set sail, covered in nearly 590,000 Sawara cypress planks that seem to ripple with the building’s soft curves. The roof is covered in Sawara cypress, too, but its planks have darkened over time, while its underside remains light.

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Walking up a winding path, visitors eventually find themselves at a wooden walkway leading directly into the Kohtei. Inside is an installation created by Sandwich designed to mimic the experience of Zen meditation. During peak times, there can be a queue for the Kohtei, but Nawa’s art is the perfect antidote to the frustration of waiting in line.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.