Tsukubai (蹲踞) Water Basin
This stone water basin stands within the grounds of Rakuraku-en (楽々園), the former villa of the Ii family. Fed by a bamboo water spout (筧 kakei), the basin was used for ritual purification before entering a tea room or reception area. Such features were common in Edo-period daimyo gardens, where they combined practical use with the aesthetic principles of the tea ceremony (茶の湯 chanoyu).
