The EKO-Haus in Düsseldorf’s Niederkassel district is the cultural center of the largest Japanese community in Europe. The two characters E-KO come from a text praising the light of the Amitabha Buddha. The grounds include a Buddhist temple and a traditional Japanese house with a tearoom; the cultural center has spaces for exhibitions, talks and seminars, as well as a large hall. A neighboring building houses the Kyoseikan, an international kindergarten and library, archive, reading room and guestroom. The many events covering aspects of Japanese culture also include, of course, the famous tea ceremony (chanoyu), which visitors can register for at pool@eko-haus.de

The masterpiece of the complex is the E-KO temple. Above the gates to the sanctuary are the two characters E-KO (soft glow - bestowing light). The space is dominated by the color gold, which is considered to be the color of the “Pure Land of the West”: a light that has been ascending to mankind for eternity. The paintings on the sliding panels show scenes from the „Pure Land“. The colorful paintings, in which peacocks reside in Amida’s garden in the “Pure Land” on backgrounds of gold leaf, are based on the 15th century Kano School.

Another highlight is the ‘Japanese House’, which was built according to canonical structural dimensions. The 90 x 180 cm tatami matting corresponds to human scale that is retained and carried through in all house elements, ground plans, sliding panels and doors, cross panels and roof structures. According to Japanese tradition, tatami mats are part of the architecture and not merely house furnishings.

For more Information: www.eko-haus.de