Hamamatsu City Tea House Shointei
Main building: Shointei
An authentic tea house in a corner of the relaxing greenery of Hamamatsu Castle Park which is very popular with the residents. Constructed using precious woods such as cedar and chestnut, the facility can host tea ceremonies for groups and organizations in the first hall (ten tatami mats), second hall (ten tatami mats), a ryurei-style room with tables and chairs, and the detached Hagian (four and a half tatami mats and a daime mat).
Shointei layout
Detached annex: Hagian
Hagi (lespedeza) blooms with small magenta or white flowers in early autumn. As indicated by the “In Hikuma Field bloom the lespedeza flowers...” poem in the Manyoshu, the oldest collection of Japanese poetry, it is native to the area, blooming here for centuries. In contrast to its pure and lovely appearance, it is a hardy plant that thrives in sandy riverbanks and barrens. In 1971, it was selected as Hamamatsu’s city flower to symbolize the developing city. We decided to name the elegant annex after the hagi flower.
Main Japanese garden
Shointei stands among the trees on the slopes of Kamei Hill, surrounded by the sounds of trickling streams through rocks and small waterfalls. A waiting bench sits along the path leading to Hagian, where guests can experience the spirit of tea through the stone wash basin, garden lantern, and stepping stones placed around it. Visitors can enjoy the changes brought about by the four seasons, such as the new greenery of spring and colorful foliage of autumn.
