The Mark of Beauty

Stairs (2020x10)

Data di messa in onda: Set 06, 2020

This episode features staircases of the kind that somehow beckon people to ascend them. Architect Ando Tadao keenly describes his ideal stairs. A visit is made to some staircases highly recommended by fans. We take a look at a large theatrical set of stairs that has appeared in Tokyo's Kyobashi district. And we delve into the intricacies of the traditional-style stairs at the teahouse in Yokohama's Sankeien Garden and Nijojinya, which was the home of a rich merchant in Kyoto. Viewers can admire the beauty of the drawers and shelving that built into the stairs in the smaller townhouses of other Kyoto merchants to make effective use of the limited amount of space in the city. The craftsmen who fashioned such staircases had an eye for detail. We look at the skill that produced the beautiful curves in the wooden handrails and the clever way in which the stairs were organized to accommodate drawers and shelving.