In 2010, Time magazine published a list of the "Top 10 Most Dangerous Buildings in the World. Included in this list was Japan's "Takasaguan" (高過庵).


The most dangerous building in this ranking was the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" in Italy. Other buildings on the list included the "Leaning Tower of Zurhusen" in Germany. These buildings were chosen for the top 10 because they leaned heavily and unexpectedly, either after or during construction.


However, the Gao Gua Hermitage was not selected because of architectural flaws.

The tea house is built on top of two chestnut trees. It is approximately 6 meters high above the ground. It seems to have been chosen as one of the top 10 teahouses on the list because of its unstable appearance.


To enter the tea house, visitors climb up a ladder to a landing. There, visitors take off their shoes and climb up a permanent (?) ladder to enter the tea ceremony room. If the ladder is removed, the visitor is not allowed to enter the tea ceremony room. If the ladder is removed, no one in the tearoom can get off. In the first place, those who cannot climb up the ladder cannot even enter the tea ceremony room. Incidentally, the name "Takagayasuan" was given to the tea house because it is too high for a tea house to exist.


Takagayasuan is located in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture. It stands in Terunobu Fujimori's field (private property) near the Jincommissioner Moriya Archives. It is not open to the public, so visitors cannot enter the interior. Let's sneak a look from outside the private property.


(Image source: Mr. Edmund Sumner)