Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

In the tea house, the host sits to the right of the room, facing the guests on the left. There is an electric-powered hearth for the hot water kettle, and an area for the display of a scroll and flowers. The arched doorway at the back is for the host (sado guchi) and the tiny door at the side is for the guests (nijiri guchi).

The Ashmolean's tea house was designed for this space by the Japanese architect Komoda Isao. The tea house was built near Tokyo by the company Amakasu Komuten, which specializes in traditional Japanese architecture.

A team of specially trained Japanese craftsmen, led by master carpenter Amakasu Eiichiro, constructed the tea house in Japan, then took it apart, shipped it to England and rebuilt it inside the gallery.

At this stage plasterwork was added to the timber framework, metal hooks and fittings attached, tatami rush mats placed on the floor and Japanese paper pasted onto the walls.

The tea house project was generously supported by Japan Airlines.