Tsukubai

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A tsukubai is a small basin provided in Japanese Buddhist temples for visitors to purify themselves by the ritual washing of hands and rinsing of the mouth. This type of ritual cleansing is also the custom for guests attending a Tea ceremony.

Tsukubai are usually of stone, and are often provided with a small scoop, laid across the top, ready for use. A supply of water is provided via a bamboo pipe called a kakei.

The tsukubai shown here, from the Ryōan-ji temple, is famous for the poem it portrays creatively with the center square being used in all four characters.