'Chōzubachi' Stone Basin – Machiya House Features

This is a tsuboniwa garden with a modern-shaped chōzubachi (stone basins used to wash hands before entering a shrine or garden). You’ll always find a chōzubachi sitting in front of a shrine entrance – so be sure to cleanse you hands before entering!

Sometimes you’ll see a dragon figure with water flowing from its mouth into the chozubachi. Since ancient times, dragons have been worshiped as deities who controlled water. By purifying the water through the mouth of a dragon, they believed that it would get rid of evil.

The chōzubachi pictured here can be found in our Kyoto-style machiya holiday house. While there is no longer any flowing water, and you won’t be required to wash your hands, it is still a beautiful chōzubachi to admire while you relax while staying at ‘Sumitsugu’ Machiya House.