tokonoma

[ toh-kuh-noh-muh ]

noun

1. (in Japanese architecture) a shallow alcove for the display of kakemonos or flower arrangements.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tokonoma¹

1895–1900; < Japanese, equivalent to toko (raised) floor + -no grammatical particle + ma room

Example Sentences

Akiya & Inaka’s listings include a 2,195-square-foot home built in 1983 in the suburb of Hachioji, Tokyo, with a small garden and a reception room featuring a raised tatami floor, tokonoma alcove and a rare wickerwork ceiling of woven cedar.

From Seattle Times

Set in a garden among plum and kiwi trees, the cottage has traditional tatami mats, shoji-paper and fusuma sliding doors, chunky wooden cabinets and tokonoma alcoves.

From Seattle Times

Several times in the show, I wondered what the paintings might be like hanging in LACMA’s Japanese Pavilion, each installed within a tokonoma, the traditional domestic alcove where a single scroll or screen would be displayed for viewing.

From Los Angeles Times

Above the low dais in the tokonoma, or place of honour, there hung a single and very ancient kakemono, representing Kwannon, the thousand-handed; and under it, upon the dais, stood in a lacquered sword-rack, a dirk in its silken case.

From Project Gutenberg

In one corner was a bath--a mere rude tub--wherein, after the Daimio had bathed, others might be allowed to plunge; while further on, in the tokonoma, or recess of honour, were ranged in glittering state, ready always for use, the armour of my lord--his cuirass and greaves, helmet, chainmail, and swords.

From Project Gutenberg