Tori Tower

Bird watching tea house in Kyoto, Japan

The Tori Tower ('tori' means 'bird' in Japanese) is a small bird watching tower set at the end of a roji (nature) pathway, lost within the forests of Kyoto, Japan. The Tori Tower represents a contemporary take on the traditional Japanese chashitsu (tea house), which consists of three main areas, the genkan (entry and shoe removal), the mizuya (tea prep room), and the chaseki (the place for tea). Rather than containing the program on a single level such as in a traditional tea house, the Tori Tower enforces a vertical procession based on the sequence of preparing tea. Once the user reaches the top deck, they may enjoy their tea at a bird's eye level whilst simultaneously basking in the sounds and smells of nature.