Tokonoma (床の間) is an alcove in washitsu. The alcove is used to display artistic works, such as calligraphy on hanging scrolls, called kakemono (掛け物), and flower arrangements.

— History

Tokonoma, beginning to appear like they are today, first appeared during the latter end of the Muromachi period. Before then, there are several theories of how it came to be. One theory is that the tokonoma was a sleeping alcove that was large enough for bedding. Later on, the flooring was raised, and the size of the tokonoma was enlarged to fit two sleeping mats within, and then even later shrunk down to fit only one sleeping mat. This theory led to the importance of the tokonoma being a seat for a guest of honor, as the guest would sleep in the raised tokonoma and the host would sleep on ground level.

At the end of the Kamakura period, a Buddhist picture was hung up in the alcove on the wall, creating the focal point. A board, called an oshi-ita (押板) was set before the painting, where it held a vase of flowers as well as an incense burner and a candle (these three items are important in Buddhism, and are called the mitsugusoku (三具足)).

During the Muromachi period, the painting was often replaced by a scroll with calligraphy written by a Zen priest. The incense burner and vase of flowers remained, but the candle was then omitted.

The Momoyama period marked the point that the tokonoma took form like we know it today, displaying important art.