The KOHTEI, designed by sculptor Kohei Nawa and his creative platform SANDWICH, seems to rise up out of the ground. Unlike any other building at Shinshoji Temple, the KOHTEI is both an impressive piece of architecture and an art installation.

The KOHTEI is shaped like a ship, raised high on pylons over a sea of scattered rocks. The building is solid concrete, but looks light enough to set sail, covered in nearly 590,000 Sawara cypress planks that seem to ripple with the building’s soft curves. The roof is covered in Sawara cypress, too, but its planks have darkened over time, while its underside remains light.

Walking up a winding path, visitors eventually find themselves at a wooden walkway leading directly into the KOHTEI. Inside is an installation created by SANDWICH designed to mimic the experience of Zen meditation. During peak times, there can be a queue for the KOHTEI, but Nawa’s art is the perfect antidote to the frustration of waiting in line.

洸庭由雕塑家名和晃平（1975-　）统领的创意平台SANDWICH设计。这座建筑拔地而起，不仅是一座建筑，更是一件艺术装置，在神胜寺内的建筑中独树一帜。

洸庭的外观形似一艘船，由铺满石子的地面上竖立的高支柱所支撑。建筑采用坚固的混凝土筑成，上面覆盖着约59万块花柏木板，沿着建筑自身柔和的曲线荡漾开来，给人一种飘然的轻盈之感，恍若船只即将起航。屋顶上也布满了花柏木片，随时间推移颜色会逐渐变深，不过背面则始终保持浅色。

沿着蜿蜒曲折的小路上行，就此来到通向洸庭内部的入口。步入其中，迎接您的是名和晃平与视觉设计工作室WOW所策划的装置，旨在表现禅宗冥想时所体悟的世界。在高峰期段或需排队，不过在体验到名和晃平作品的那一刻，一切等候所致的焦躁都会立即烟消云散。