Tsubo-niwa

[1] Tsubo-niwa have been described as "quasi-indoor gardens", and are a key feature of some traditional Japanese homes, such as the machiya (lit. 'townhouse').

The term tsuboniwa stems from tsubo (坪), a unit of measurement (equal to 1×1 ken, the size of two tatami (flooring and sleeping mats), roughly 3.3 square metres (36 sq ft)), and niwa, meaning "garden".

[4] Tsubo-niwa were originally found in the interior courtyards of Heian period palaces, designed to give a glimpse of nature and some privacy to the residents of the rear side of the building.

[5] Tsubo-niwa gained greater popularity in the early 21st century,[6] and can be found in many Japanese residences, hotels, restaurants, and public buildings.

[1] Several tsubo-niwa are used to provide passive ventilation in an otherwise small home, allowing a breeze to blow through the living space[6] (see tablinum).

[1] Tsubo-niwa typically contain a functional tōrō lantern and a chōzu-bachi (water basin), such as a tsukubai.

Much of the area may be filled with gravel, set with larger stones, and carefully raked and kept free of weeds.