Tokonoma (床の間), also referred to simply as toko, is a
Japanese term generally referring to a built-in recessed space in a
Japanese style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation
are displayed. In English, tokonoma is usually called alcove.
The items usually displayed in a tokonoma are calligraphic and/or pictorial scrolls and an arrangement of flowers.
When seating guests in a Japanese-style room, the correct etiquette
is to seat the most important guest with his or her back facing the
tokonoma. This is because of modesty; the host should not be seen to
show off the contents of the tokonoma to the guest, and thus it is
necessary not to point the guest towards the tokonoma.
