ZEN MEDITATION ROOM and KATOMADO WINDOW - KYOTO Poster

Japanese architecture at its most refined in a Zen meditation room at Daitoku-ji Temple, founded in the 14th century and one of largest Zen Temples in Japan. Appears to be an 8 tatami mat room with incense bowl. Decorative shoji screens line the back wall and a delicate rice-paper Katomado Window allows muted light into the room. The cusped shaped window, some say represents a bell, came over from China in the early middle ages along with Zen Buddhism. It is also know as a Fire Light Window. Zen was the religion practiced by the elite Samurai warrior class in feudal times. Zen philosophy revealed: Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing.