The nakamon is a small gate set at the boundary between the outer and inner sections of a double garden. Passing through it, a guest's attention turns further toward the gathering. Forms vary — a simple brushwood gate, a saru-do, an ume-mi gate — and the choice speaks for the character of the sitting on its own.
Origins
It was established in the Momoyama period, when the double-garden form was settled, as the device separating outer from inner. The host comes out as far as the gate to receive the guests, and the silent exchange of greetings there — the mugon no rei, "wordless bow" — became one of the significant gestures of a full gathering.
In practice
The host rewets the water at the basin near the gate as the signal to come in. Nothing is said. It is one of the few moments in the practice where the exchange is entirely non-verbal by design.
Sources
- 中門（デジタル大辞泉 / 精選版 日本国語大辞典 / 改訂新版 世界大百科事典） / コトバンク
Supports: 中門が「茶庭の内外の露地の境にある門」（中潜）で、外露地と内露地との間にある門を指すこと
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
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